Stardust Trails
by Ien's-Fandom-Hole
Summary: AU. Leaving home was all Syo ever wanted, but after being abducted from Prinda by a group of space pirates his life becomes far more hectic than he ever thought it could be. With his new family, and friends, he journeys across galaxies to find something. The real question is what that something is. No pairing
1. Part 1 Chapter 1

_Trace the Galaxy_

 _Year 5965_

Far into the Asteria Nebula on a small planet named Prinda, lived a young boy who dreamed of exploring the universe. To most, this would sound like the beginning to a childish fairy tale. But this was no fairy tale, this was the beginning to his story.

Syo knew, that because Prinda such an advanced planet (and having a much needed line of communication with their neighboring planet, Lenus) that what would once be called a childish dream could very well be his future. He would watch the the darken dreaming about how each day that passed meant one day closer to being out there, exploring the galaxy, and doing what he knew he was meant to.

"Syo, Kaoru!" His mother called to him and his little brother, most likely for dinner as the second sun began to set. His eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, before he was met the a familiar face.

Like Most Prindans, Syo blessed with blonde hair, which shimmered like the skoon fish of the Asteria Vortex, that hung low passed his waist, even though it had been tied up. Although he kept his long so his mother wouldn't complain, his brother, kept his short and neat. Another feature they shared with their fellow Prindans were their dazzling blue eyes, that shown brighter than the five seas of Trilles O, and a strong Psychokinetic ability. However it was indeed a rarity for twins to be born on this planet. So that was one blessing only he and Kaoru shared.

"Syo." Kaoru's face hovered above him as his younger brother before his pale hands shook Syo's shoulders. "Brother why do you sleep now? The second sun has barely descended."

"Sorry." He grinned sleepily. He reached for his brother's hand, and the white robe slipped from his shoulder, leaving only his toga to protect him from the lasting beating rays of the sun. Syo's uncovered knees left the naturally bronzed grass. He sighed, looking the rusty colored hills of his mother's land.

"Shall we go?" Kaoru smiled.

"Yes."

Their bare feet tingled against the hard grass beneath. Kaoru's iron grip held Syo's hand close and dragged his brother, who was starting to fall behind.

"Syo?"

"Yes?"

Kaoru hesitated for a moment. His blue eyes looked straight ahead to their round shaped home. "Why do you want to leave so much? Is it not fun to live here with mother and I? Why would you wish to be like father and not come home for some time?"

"It's boring here." He skipped into step next to the younger one, now trying to match his pace.

"Boring, how?"

"Well, I've heard that there are places that have actual oceans. Not just the ones we've seen from Lenus picture books that father brings home."

"Is seeing one that special? Really is it?"

"It's Important to me."

Kaoru dropped Syo's hand and stopped in his tracks a mere two steps from the door. "You are so just like father. Please just make sure you always come back to mother and I, lest you make her worry more."

Syo knew he was being serious, but couldn't help but to laugh. "Of course."

"Boys!" Their mother yelled throwing the door open, almost hitting both of her boys in the face.

* * *

The view of the stars from the rounded roof in the middle of the field was one of the only things that made Prinda, especially Iglyand his rather spread out hometown, bearable to live on. It was the only treasure that Syo truly had only to himself. Kaoru didn't like things like the night sky. He didn't find the shine of the twinkling stars and planet above endearing.

"Why is it so wrong to wish to know more?" He sighed. He pulled his knees close to his body, blue blue hues looking up at the radiant lights that showered him with love.

The Iglyand sparrows chirped, yet a loud hum filled his ears. The stars seemed brighter and brighter until the dazzling white overtook him and he realized what was truly happening.

At first his face was that of joy. He thought his father had finally come home from his latest meeting in Lenus, albeit odd that his ship hadn't docked at port a few miles from their home.

But as the ship grew closer and the metallic doors parted, he knew that this wasn't the fancy his father, who was Prinda's ambassador, rode in. Only in a hushed voice could he speak what it was.

"Pirates."

At first he wanted to flee. To warn his mother, but he knew in the back of his mind that it wasn't a good idea. If he were to run they would surely find out that there were more people in the house. As it was, all the lights were turned off and his mother and brother were sleeping safely in their beds. But if he were to stay they probably would be in a hurry to leave. It was probably his fault that they even showed up, if he hadn't been outside during the time he should have been sleeping, they wouldn't have stopped. He knew from the books that his father brought home for him what they did and what they were after.

So to protect his family he closed his eyes and waited for it to be over, and hoped his last few minutes would be as painless as possible.

* * *

"Wo ist sie?" Were the first words Syo heard upon waking up. The last thing he remembered was the bright light. A frown found it's way onto his lips. Not only did he not recognize the language, meaning it was neither from Prinda nor Lenus, but the strong commanding voice sounded almost feminine.

He would have moved to the barred door to see who was saying... well whatever they were saying, but chains bound his hands and feet to the back wall. Even his mouth was covered. He wanted to laugh,they were probably newbies. They didn't realize that Prindans were a psychic race.

"Was!?" He heard feminine voice yell at the top of, probably, her lungs. There was a sharp click against the wooden floor and the door opened almost instantaneously, with a very pissed, kinda short, looking redhead glaring at him.

Her head turned sharply back to the male crew behind her. She yelled at them, more furious sounding words that he couldn't understand. She didn't look back at him, until he flinched away from her harsh tone causing the shackles to jingle.

Her golden eyes rolled in annoyance. "You can understand me, no?"

"I understand." He's voice barely above a whisper.

"Be a good boy. I will take shackles off."

Syo nodded at her. He watched her as she leaned down with the key in hand to unchain him. He wondered where she could be from. Perhaps she was with the anti-peace rebellion from Lenus.

"I am Haruka Nanami. You call me Captain." She held out a hand to him. Her eyes were kind, and gentle. "Up."

He again nodded, unsure what else to do. Her speech was very broken and he wasn't sure that she would understand him if he spoke to much to fast. He took her hand, slipping only a little on his hair that had wrapped slightly around the chains. But that seemed to make the Captain laugh a bit.

Her face grew more serious the further away from his prison cell they got. "You can not go home." She eventually said, but by that time, there were walking on a glass terrace, looking down on the planet that Syo called home.

"Haru!" A very happy voice called out, in a language hat he could understand fully, though the dialect seemed a bit strange. Another redhead came flying at them and hugged the Captain with the force of a hundred minds. "I heard the crew mistakenly picked up a child."

"Yes." Haruka's eyes looked at Syo and waited for her friend's to follow.

The other girl gasped. Now that Syo had a good look at her he notice that she was taller, paler, and had deep red eyes. She smiled. "Hi there. What's your name?"

"Syo." He blushed, noticing her rather revealing attire. Her light pink gown was almost see-through. Her long legs were uncovered and her feet were bare. It looked like she had just woken up. Even her somewhat curly hair was tousled.

"I'm Tomochika." She extended her hand. "If you ever need me to translate, Haru is still learning Lenien, since we don't visit Lenus a lot."

"Thank you."

She turned her head back to Haruka after he gave her cold hand a light shake. "So what are we doing with him?"

"Keeping him." The Captain answered right away.

"Keeping me? To do what with?"

Haruka glared at him and when he flinched she spoke to Tomochika in that same language as before. To him, it almost sounded like the two girls were arguing. Tomo was the one who had the final say. She smirked when Haruka clicked her heels together and walked away.

"Come on." She grabbed him by the elbow. "I had a present for you. It might not make up for the fact that you can't go home anymore, but I promise you'll love it."

Dragging him down a hallway, she threw open one of the doors, that had bars on the window, and skipped in.

Inside looked comfortable. Like a small cabin room. There was a wooden take with two chairs to match, and soft looking bed with something white huddled up on the deep blue pillow. The walls and carpet were the same color as the grass from Prinda.

"Otoya." She picked up the small bundle of white fluff. The cat's ears twitched and it yawned. She sat on the bed, and put the tiny creature down on her lap. "Syo this is Otoya. Haruka took him from Trilles O. Look how cute he is." She smooshed her face against his and gave him little cheek kisses.

"We have nothing like him from where I come from." He stated honestly.

"Well, You'll have to get used to having him. From today on he'll be yours. You guys will be room mates."

"Trilles O." He mumbled, eyes shining.

"What?"

"You guys aren't going to kill me? I thought that's what pirates did."

"Not all pirates are the same. We didn't mean to get you."

"But you won't kill me?"

"Of course not!" Tomo said shocked.

"So will I be able to see Trilles O one day?" He asked hopeful.

"Probably. Maybe not this week, maybe not this year. But we do go there from time to time."

Syo looked around the room again. There was a small window that let him see out to the galaxy beyond the ship. Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing.

"Maybe in a year or two Haruka will let you go to ports. How old are you? Maybe I can pass you off as a nephew of hers."

"Seven."

"Woah." She smiled. "I bet you're way smarter than me when I was that age."

She patted the bed next to her, motioning for him to sit down. She passed the cat on to him. It purred and cuddled up on him. He let his hand slide over it's sleek fur, head still turned to look out the window.

"Will I ever be able to go home?" He asked.

Tomo bit her lip. "No, I don't think so." She wrapped her arm around his shoulder in a comforting half-hug. "It may seem bad now, but it'll get better, I promise. And once you get to know Haruka better, we can be your new family."

"Yeah." he said, trying not to let his voice falter, but ultimately failing as drops of salted water fell from his eyes. He had always wanted to leave his home planet, but he didn't think the day would come so soon, or that he would never be able to turn back, or that it would hurt so much.

* * *

 ** _I don't even know._**

 ** _But I can say that I had completely finished writing this so updates should be a regular thing._**

 ** _I don't expect reviews, but they are always nice._**

 ** _Disclaimer- If I owned the rights to UtaPri it would be a lot better and more gay._**

 ** _SK_**


	2. Part 1 Chapter 2

_Trace the Galaxy_

 _Year 5973_

Syo practically flew down the hall with with the mop trailing behind him, he stumbled into things along his path. This was the happiest day ever. After months of begging Haruka finally decided to let him come to port with her. Since bartering and trading was a very hostile business, Haruka didn't want him to seem like her weakest link. But today was different. Tomochika had successfully talked the smaller female into taking him with her as long as all his chores were done.

"This is so cool." He cheered. He turned to the end-table, ready to wipe it clean and let the mop move on it's own, but a little ball of white plopped it's butt down before he could even focus his mind on the dirty mop. He couldn't help but to smile at his cat. "I've always wanted to see Otheron! Isn't it exciting Otoya?"

The white cat only meowed at him happily as a response, it's puffy tail swishing back and forth.

"Don't just sit there. Go get your leash."

Syo had learned after only a few days on Haruka's ship that his fluffy companion completely understood his every word. That made the years that passed by less lonely, seeing as he was the youngest on the ship. And, although he didn't have animals such as this back on his own planet, he had highly doubted that normal cats could play games with him like this one did. It was weird and fun. But he never did anything too intelligent in front of the older members of the crew.

The cat rolled it's red eyes at him before jumping down and trotting off to their shared room.

Once he was gone, Syo quickly finished dusting the table and the last little bit of the floors. He forced himself up, as to not have to walk over the wet floor, and made his way to the bridge.

"Captain!" He said gleefully, not caring if he interrupted her conversation. She turned away from the wheel's man to look at him. Her blue striped business suit was clean and pristine. "I did everything you asked."

"Syo." Her tone was even and commanding, as always, and golden eyes narrowed. "Don't make such a ruckus."

"Sorry." He deflated a little. He didn't really care if he was loud when he was in a good mood, but if Haruka scolded him, his mood would drop instantly. Over the eight years he had been with her, she became like a mother in his mind. She was stern and strict, but also loving. Every time she had forced him to stay in the ship when they docked, which he rarely stayed put, she would always bring him back a present. In many ways, not that he would ever admit it out loud, she reminded him of his father.

"It's fine. But keep yourself in check during my meeting." She straighten her jacket. "Tomo isn't coming today, so you won't have a babysitter."

"I'm fifteen." He chuckled. "I don't need a babysitter anymore."

"Says you." It was obviously a joke, but her straight face made it hard to laugh at.

"Ma'am." One of the men called to her. She turned to greet him. His uniform, that consisted of a greasy pair of overalls and a dirty gray shirt, and his hands were filthy from the oil and coal in the engine room, even though he had a dark brown glove sticking out of his back pocket. He watched her with beady eyes and tossed a toothy smile Syo's way once he realized that the blonde was looking at him. "We'll be landing soon."

"Thank you." She dismissed him. She smirked at Syo once she knew he was out of hearing range. "Why must they always tell me every little detail. I don't need to know that we'll be landing soon, especially when he told me that same thing five minutes ago."

"He probably just likes you." Syo laughed. His blonde hair brushed against his shoulders.

Haruka reached out and touched it. "Are you finally going to grow it out again? Or do you want me to cut it soon?"

"Tonight. I hate having long hair."

She chuckled letting her hand fall from his straight sleek locks. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Syo wanted to wander the antiques shop, browsing small trinkets from far off galaxies that his surrogate mother didn't deal with, but the moment he began to to let his blue eyes wander over the carefully stored merchandise Haruka sharply said his name. Knowing that she would be beyond furious if he messed up this deal for her, Syo decided to just evaluate the items he like from near the door's entrance.

He rolled his eyes, bored. Who would have thought that coming with her would be this boring. Sure there were things to look at, stuff to buy, and places to go but none of which he was actually allowed to do. Haruka had told him not to leave her side, but she was busy talking gibberish, that Syo couldn't understand, with the old man behind the counter.

He old man had a long gray beard gave him a crooked smile and pointed to Syo, making Haruka turn back to look at him. She motioned him him over to her. Again she spoke in the foreign tongue and wrapped her left arm protectively around him.

"What's he asking?" His blue eyes couldn't leave the wrinkled face.

"He wants to know how much you are." She gave him a tight squeeze. "This is why I don't invite you to come with me more often."

"Why?"

"There are some, who collect people." The old man said something to her and her grip tensed before she dropped her arm from Syo's shoulder. "Go have fun on the docks."

"Really?" He finally pulled his gaze away from the creepy salesman's face. Excitement displayed in his big sky blue eyes.

"Since Tomo isn't here to take care of you make sure to take Otoya with you."

"Okay!" He ran off to the entrance.

Otoya had been waiting patiently outside, chained to the guardrail that kept this ship stationed at the port (not that he couldn't easily get out of it). Upon Syo return he meowed happily, which of course made Syo laugh. He carefully unchained his white feline and took up his leash in his hand.

"This place is huge!" Syo looked around excited. There were so many people and animals. His smile did drop a little. "I wish Tomochika weren't sick today. She always knows everything. She could tell me what animal is what. She can translate."

Syo let loose a sigh and Otoya looked up at him. "Mew?" The cat tried to communicate with him.

"I know, Otoya."

If Haruka was like a mother to him these last eight years, then Tomochika was definitely the older sister he had always wished for. She was kind, a bit of a know it all, and almost always there when he needed her. But there were some days when she just didn't leave her cabin. Haruka always gave a convincing excuse, not just for Syo but for the crew as well.

While most of the crew had been with them for years, it seemed like Haruka didn't trust them. And Syo had always wondered why. They kept the ship going, lived with one another, and stole from ships that couldn't defend themselves from a swift and unexpected raid. If they hadn't turned her in for her crimes, then why did she keep things from them?

 _"The first step to getting screwed over is trusting others."_ She had once told him that. Yet... She trusted Tomochika with her life. If Syo didn't know better, he would think that they were sisters.

"I just don't understand." He told Otoya while looking at the crowd of people. There were so many faces. Eyes barely glanced at him while he walked by, only a few lingered with an unpleasant feel.

A flash of cyan blue passed in front of him. Stark white skin and piercing eyes that seemed to look into the very depths of his soul stood out against the herd of others, whose attention was on whatever the merchant was trying to sell to them. And then it was gone. The sharp face with vibrate color had disappeared back into the crowd. Almost like it had never been there to began with.

"Come on Otoya. Let's go back to the ship." He felt extremely uncomfortable. "I want to see if Tomo is feeling better yet."

* * *

 ** _R &R?_**

 ** _Chaotic_** ****


	3. Part 1 Chapter 3

_Part I_

 _Trace the Galaxy_

 _Year 5966_

 _"There are monsters beyond imagination that roam throughout the galaxies. Truly terrifying, they look for easy prey. The weak, the old, the sickly, and the young. Little boys like you should take care not to be alone, even if it is just in your room. They find their way into the place you find most comforting, and snatch you up."_

 _"Tomo!" Syo shrieked, he held Otoya close and pulled the covers up around them both. No monster would get him or his best friend. "Stop it! You're scaring Otoya."_

 _The cat looked up with a displeased look on his face and gave a soft meow. He snuggled in closer to Syo since Tomo was sitting on the edge of the bed with the wiry brush he hated so much._

 _"He looks terrified." She laughed at him._

 _"Why do you have to tell such scary bedtime stories? My mom-" He stopped thinking of how his mother had held him and his twin close and whispered to them stories of fair maidens and princes that rescued them._

 _"Your mother told you fairy tales. I will only tell you about things at are real."_

 _Syo sniffled. "Have you ever seen one of these monsters? You say that there are so many across all the worlds that it would be impossible to count them all."_

 _"There are many monsters. And depending on what you consider monsters to be every time you open your eyes you could see one."_

 _"People are the worst kind of monsters, that's what Haruka says."_

 _"She's right you know."_

 _"But the really scary ones that could kill people within seconds, have you ever see one of those?"_

 _Tomochika stopped brushing her long red hair. "Yes."_

 _"Really!? What did it look like?" Fear could never stop the little blonde from being excited. Although he was only eight years of age, he seemed so resilient._

 _"Well that's the scariest thing. They look like normal people."_

 _"How did you know if it was a monster?"_

 _"When I met him. he wasn't a monster in my eyes. He looked like an injured boy who needed a place to catch his breath. So I let him in, and he was perfectly polite, never did anything that would make him seem anything less than ordinary. So I didn't find out until long after he left my home. And even know I find it hard to believe that such a sweet little boy could be something so awful that people would call him a monster."_

 _"Tomo, how do I know I'm not a monster?" His little lip quivered, uncertainty lingered in his voice._

 _"There are some who might call you that. Not everyone can move things just by thinking of it." His cheeks pales and eyes darted down to not meet hers._

 _She turned around letting her nightdress rise up a little. Her hand firmly cupped his cheeks as she forced him to look at her. "No body needs to know the things you can do. And you could never be a monster in my eyes."_

 _"But..."_

 _"Are you afraid? Is it because of what other people think?"_

 _"No..."_

 _"Then don't let it bother you. You are my little Syo, and nothing else."_

 _The little blonde smiled at that. "Tell me another bedtime story. Make sure this one isn't scary though."_

 _"Why? You scared?" She teased tousling his long blonde hair._

 _He batted her hand away gently. "Of course not. I'm going to grow up to be like Haruka. She's fearless and brave and strong."_

 _Tomochika chuckled. "She may be brave and strong, but Haru isn't fearless."_

 _"She isn't?"_

 _"Even she fears the worst monsters of space."_

 _"Not this story again!" He giggled._

* * *

 _Year 5973_

"No." Syo crossed his arms and promptly sat down on his bed. He refused to even look in Haruka's direction. She was being unfair and he wouldn't just do what she wanted like a good little boy. "I'm not going."

"You are going and that's final!" She yelled at him. "And if you won't come willingly then I will have you shackled and dragged there."

"That's not fair." He yelled at her.

"Life isn't fair!" She fired back, just like a mother.

"You're using me for your own benefit."

"You are mine. I can put you to use however I see fit." She threw the white tunic at him. "If you aren't dressed in five minutes then you wear nothing."

"You're the worst!" He yelled at her, but his cries were only met with the slamming of his door. He threw the cloth on the floor and punched his pillow in rage, waking up his sleeping kitty in the process. "Otoya, Haruka is such a awful captain. She knows that the person she is dealing with today likes little blondes so she wants to use me. To whore me out to get her way! I hate it. And her!"

The cat looked at him as if he were stupid.

"I know that she's like a mom to me, but this is so wrong." When the cat just blinked at him, he sighed. "You make it seem like I'm crazy. I'm not crazy!"

"Talking to yourself isn't crazy? That's new to me." Tomo giggled from behind him.

His face grew redder than the sun as he looked back at her. "Oh, you're feeling better today?"

"Much better, thank you."

"Yeah." He looked away.

Her red eyes lingered on the garments in front of him. "You should get dressed, I'd hate for you to have to walk these scum filled streets in nothing."

All the color from his face washed away with those words.

"Hurry." She smiled, head tilted, before she turned away.

"Damn it!" The blonde yelled after she left, knowing that the only reason she had come was to try to talk him into seeing Haruka's side.

True to her word, exactly five minutes later Syo's door flew open and a very pissed redhead stormed in. Her deep furrowed brow softened a little once she realized that he was dressed in the revealing white tunic.

"Come on."She ordered him in the same commanding voice she used with the rest of the crew.

The man was a filthy pig. Syo almost threw up the first time he had set his blue eyes on the greasy man. Sweat ran down in brow even though it was colder than an icebox in side his large house. This shirt looked as if it hadn't been washed in years. His hands, big and hairy, reached out for Syo until Haruka slapped them away.

She snapped at him, her voice full of spite. "This lovely child is mine. He is not for you to touch."

He snorted at her. "I have plenty others." That same sweaty hand reached for another child, wearing a similar tunic but bound by the feet with golden chains. "You really should chain that thing up."

Haruka's nose scrunched at him. "Maybe you should be chained up"

This made the man laugh heartily. How could he even take it as a joke with the disdain clear in her voice? "Now down to business."

"I agree."

* * *

Once the meeting had started Haruka quietly told Syo that he could roam the town as much as he wanted. He handed him her long red coat so he wouldn't have to wear something so embarrassing outside.

"Stupid Haruka." Syo kicked a pebble just outside the rich man's house. How did such a scumbag have so much money and a giant house? It really wasn't fair to the people of this planet that actually worked hard. And why did Haruka have to trade with such people? It wasn't as if she were the most honorable person alive, but even steal from other people's ships still made her better than that man.

"Lost?" A stranger asked him. They looked upon him with beady black eyes.

"No, I'm fine." He looked up at the person who stood at least a head taller than him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Syo frowned.

He almost felt trapped, but he knew he wasn't. He could always run behind the gates or just get passed this person it wouldn't be very hard.

"Ah, Syo there you are." The voice came. The blonde had no idea who it belonged to. His blue eyes darted around until he found the sight of a cyan haired male waving in their direction. Then with a smile he continued the charade. "Long time no see."

"Uh?"

"Do you know this little slave?" The man asked motioning to the tunic that Syo was covering with the red coat Haruka gave him, which was a tad small for him.

"Of course." The blue haired male said, his smile dropping. "What kind of idiot would walk up to some one and call out a random name and hope it's right."

"Tsk." The other man glare before walking away.

"So are you an idiot then?" Syo bluntly asked the young looking man. His eyes filled with suspicion.

"Of course not. I said an idiot calls out a random name. I know your name." He said dully, his emotions, if he had any, were buried beneath his mono-toned voice.

"Funny, I don't know your name yet you know me."

"Ai." He said extending his hand. When the blonde just blinked at him he took his hand back and shoved it in the pocket of his dirt brown pants.

"You think that makes things better?"

"No."

Syo squinted at his straightforward answer. "Then why did you tell me?"

"Because you are going to take me to your ship and introduce me to your master."

* * *

Haruka briskly walked back to her ship. Her deal had gone fine, but that filthy man had soured her mood. All she wanted was to go to her cabin and take a bath after just being in his presence. And the damned bastard dared to shake her hand. If she ever had to deal with him again it would be too soon.

But luckily for her, he was a fool. She would only have to send a small ship to his house that night, maned with probably twenty or so men, to steal away his riches. She highly doubted that with the amount of alcohol he had consumed in the brief time that her visit had taken place that he could even be awake when her men pillaged his house. And even if he was, they'd slice him from chest to pelvis. The slaves at his house would be given a choice, work as members on her ship or die by her own blade.

"This has been a huge waste of time." One of her men, that escorted her there with Syo, whispered gruffly. "Why trade when you just plan to take it all back?"

Haruka looked back at him. He wore metal plate above his old tattered gray shirt. A small dagger strapped to his leg almost hidden by the plain brown pants he wore. A simpleton like him would understand her reasoning even if she explained it to him a million times.

"It doesn't matter does it?"

"No, Caption." He answered sullenly.

They rounded the corner before she could open her mouth to answer him. Upon on the entry ramp was Syo. She sighed, glad that he had made it back aright by himself. But there was another person. He looked barely older than her young blonde.

The heels of her shoes must have hit the hard metal of the ship's ramp louder than she thought because as soon as she stepped on her ship his head spun to look at her.

His cyan eyes matched his hair. A frown was etched into his smooth featured. "You must be Haruka. It's a pleasure. Can we leave now?"


	4. Part 1 Chapter 4

**_A/N: You guys have me flustered. Is this even worth typing out?_**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part I_

 _Trace the Galaxy_

 _Year 5973_

Haruka had been captioning her ship for over ten years and never had she been forced to go off track because of another person. She had stolen, she had killed, gambled, and more. So for her to be stopped in her tracks and willingly obey someone else, it was unusual to say the least. But as much as she wanted to throw the little bit of red hair that hung over her shoulder back, she gritted her teeth and followed the cyan haired male's directions.

She knew her crew looked to her for answers. It wasn't like her to give in easily, and honestly if there were different circumstances she would have thrown the kid off her ship in an instant. But no. This one was smart, must have looked into her at least a little, because he stood behind her little blonde, with a knife pressed against the nape of his neck. Only a few moments ago Syo hadn't been scared, but Haruka had to try to intimidate the little brat and threatened to throw him off the ship the moment they pulled away from port.

"Okay, okay." She said trying not to let her tough exterior soften. "Let him go and we'll talk about where you want to go."

"You'll take me to Earth, Haruka. No stops along the way."

"Okay, to Earth. Now give me Syo."

"No." He shook his head."

Something in Haruka snapped. It wasn't very often that people didn't listen to her. She was the caption. On her ship, her word was law. And nobody was above that law. Her crew knew that. That's probably why when he refused the nearest five men pulled out their guns. If not for her ordering them to stop, they would have blasted Syo away with this demanding kid.

"You know," Haruka started with a somewhat sadistic grin. "I feed bad little boys to the worst kind of monster."

"I'm not afraid of your monster." Ai challenged.

"You say that now-"

"Syo!" Tomo's voice came from the second floor. Her cheerfulness emanated the whole room in a kind of calm. "Did you make a new friend? You can't just take people from ports without their families."

Haruka almost laughed. How ironic.

"No... I.." He tried to say. The pressure against his back dissipated as did the concerned look Haruka wore.

"The caption told me she could take me to earth." He said smoothly to the long haired woman.

"Earth? Oh, we haven't been there in forever Haru! Let's go!" Tomochika cheered throwing a fist in the air to motivate everyone else in the room.

While her best friend was off distracting everyone Haruka took a moment to actually look at the cyan haired boy. He couldn't have been much older than Syo though he stood a few feet taller. His clothing was ragged but not dirty and the bag he had protectively slung under his arm looked new. His face looked tired but relieved that the commotion in front of him.

"Little boy." She called out to him.

He sharply responded with, "Ai. My name is Ai."

She rolled her golden eyes, not caring about the name of the person who just took what was hers hostage. "Where are you from, Ai?"

"Skyria Plyke." He said almost immediately.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And where is that exactly?"

"The Asteria Nebula." He answered again still to fast for Haruka's liking.

"You don't look like the people I've seen at the Skyria skystation." Her arms crossed. With every ones attention diverted by Tomo's big fuss, haruka motioned him over.

"What can I say, my father was an adventurous man. Skyria is just where I was born." He walked closer. Haruka knew that he could tell something was off.

"Come one." The redhead said sweetly. "I'll show you the deck. The view is amazing."

"Sure." He eyed her suspiciously.

* * *

"Why Earth?" She asked. To Haruka, it wasn't a very hard question, but the boy in front of her looked at her with a rather perplexed look. Well at least he could show emotion, he had such an emotionless face that she had begun to wonder if he knew what smiling and frowning were.

"That was the very first planet I visited."

"With you're father?"

"Mhm." He didn't miss a beat.

"And your mother?"

"Don't have one." He leaned on the railing overlooking the glass floor.

This was one of Haruka's favorite places. Although she couldn't breath in space, like some species could, she always liked the feeling of being surrounded by the nothingness. Sure there were stars that show as they passed, but much like her, in this giant universe they were but a mere spec of dust.

"Okay." She looked up and the ceiling, which was also made out of glass, her eyes watched the darkness. "Now the truth."

"But that is-"

"A very convincing lie. You've probably practiced it a million times. People like Syo and Tomo would easily be fooled. But I am not them. I know when you're lying to me. And I want to know why I just gave up on a big payout for my crew just to take you to earth."

Her voice was cold and merciless. There was not hint of angry though.

"I'm taking a friend back to where he belongs. he deserves to be with his friends."

Haruka closed her eyes. "You don't hear of too many earthlings in our part of the universe. I thought they still thought that they were the only intelligent beings in the universe."

"Until he found me I didn't know what earth was." The pale teen said. "So to repay all of his kindness I want to get him back home."

"As a final goodbye?" Haruka knew that tone. It was once that her best friend had once used, before everything...

"Yeah. I always called him father, so the person I plan to give him to would be uncle."

"Fine." She breathed out. Looking back down, she took a step so she could be in front of him, blocking his path to the exit. "I'll take you, but."

"But?" He met her eyes questioningly.

Even on her tiptoes, the very top of her head only reached to his chin, so she poked his chest and smiled. "But your 'father' is gone and I'm not leaving you on earth. As payment, you will stay on my ship and become mine."

"Y-yours?"

"Syo has always wanted a friend his own age. And you look pretty rare. Definitely not from Skyria Plyke."

"But I..."

"No buts." She said sternly letting the heels of her feet hit the floor with a 'clank'. "That is payment to go to earth.

"I heard you like information. I was going to offer you some. I didn't expect you to take me for free."

Haruka turned waving her hand in dismissive gesture. "Information is great but loyal people who will follow me to the ends of the universe is way better."

"Wait." He said as she made her way for the doorway leading back to the rest of the crew. "Kasmeon had great advances in curing many things."

She stopped. "What?"

"It's a small planet of the board of the Zoter galaxy and the Obsidian Abyss. They have cures for almost everything you can think of. Some say they can even make monsters go back to their original form."

She blinked but didn't turn back. Haruka didn't realize that she had been holding her breath the whole time he was talking, but she forced a smile on her face and stretched her arms over her head. "Aaahh~ Earth is pretty far away. We'll probably make a pit stop at Prinda before heading out, seeing as Lenus has closed their trade route for now."

"Haruka?"

"Caption." She corrected. "What?"

"Does this mean-"

"You wanted a ride to earth and payed for it." She turned back and winked. "But I'll get you on the rebound. Unless you want to stay stuck on earth for the rest of your life."

He looked like he wanted to say something.

But she quickly continued. "No, of course you don't. Your father made you travel everywhere with him. You can't just stop now. You want to know everything there is to know. You're better off with me. I'll take you everywhere you want and beyond."

"Caption?" Ai asked.

"Just you wait."


	5. Part 1 Chapter 5

**_A/N:_**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part I_

 _Trace the Galaxy_

 _Year 5973_

Syo peeked out from around the corner. He could clearly see Ai talking to another member of the crew. The teen carried himself a certain way that made him seem more grown up that he really was. And Syo couldn't help but to think how cool this guy was. He wasn't sure if it was because Haruka took a liking to him after that little incident or if it was because they looked to be close in age. Haruka had also told the crew that he had been all over. This galaxy and that one, he had seen them. He was like a living, walking, (not so much) talking portion of Syo's childhood dream.

 _'He's just so cool!'_ Syo thought, eyes sparkling. He clutched the mop's handle more firmly. He knew that he was supposed to be doing is normal chores, if he didn't he wouldn't be able to see the next station they stopped at, but he couldn't help but to stalk Ai. He was like his number one fan.

"What are you doing there?" Ai walked around the corner. His emotionless cyan eyes didn't shine like Syo's did. He had his arms folded over his chest, forcing the white jacket he was wearing closed.

"O-oh, nothing." Syo looked away.

"Whatever." Ai said continuing on his way. "But make a mental note that I can hear you walking on this floor. It's hard not to."

"Wait!" The blonde called. "Do you maybe want to talk when I get done with my chores?"

"I don't see why not."

"Cool!" He jumped in the air causing the other to give him a perpendicular look. "I mean, that's cool, whatever. You know."

Syo knew he had embarrassed himself. He wanted to talk to Ai, but at the moment he wanted the other to go away, at least until the dark red blush on his face disappeared. He wished he could tell what the other boy was thinking as he walked away, but even if his powers did extend that far, Tomo had told him not to use them with strangers around (or even around most of the crew).

"Well." He muttered to himself, since there was nobody but him and his white little ball of fluff in the hallway. "That could have gone worse."

"What could have?"

Syo jumped out of his skin. The mop water tipped over as he scurried away from the sudden voice in his ear. He was lucky that he could manage to stop it before it actually spilled the grimy water, forcing him to have to mop this section all over again.

"Tomo!" He yelled. picking up the mop and made sure that nobody else was around. "I told you not to sneak up on me when I'm doing chores."

"I couldn't help it." She smiled. Her smile was almost as dazzlingly bright as the too small for her dress that she had probably borrowed from Haruka. "You just looked so cute standing there talking to yourself. You really shouldn't do that to much, people will think you're crazy."

"Thanks mom." He joked.

"So what could have been worse?"

"Totally embarrassing myself in front of Ai."

"Cheer up." She stepped closer, giving him a small pat on his shoulder. "Earth is pretty far away. You'll have plenty of time to talk to him."

"What if he doesn't like me? What if he thinks I'm weird? I mean I don't talk to many people my age."

"You'll be fine." She tried to reassure him.

"It's not!" The blonde yelled. "He's lived my dream! I want to know so much, and he has all the answers. I just want to pick at his brain for a bit."

"Okay, don't tell him that last part." Tomo picked up Otoya. He meowed at her angrily. "If anything, just start out simple."

"Like?"

"Ask him if he's ever been to the next place we have to stop at."

"Where are we stopping?" He looked up questioningly holding out his arms for the poor kitty to go to him. Which Otoya did happily. "Haruka said we were making a pit-stop but disappeared before I could ask her where."

Tomo's smile dropped a fraction of an inch. She handed Otoya him to himm before answering him. "Prinda."

"Where?" He said innocently. "We haven't been there yet, right?"

"No, I guess we haven't." She glared at him. "Well I need to find Haru. Have fun talk to Ai, and try not to pick his brain apart to much."

"Thanks." He waved at her while she left.

Otoya meowed at him, cat eyes glaring up at him.

"Shh, Otoya. She just looked so down."

* * *

Ai didn't hate talking, although it wasn't his favorite thing either. But this... This was a little much for even him. The small blonde in front of him sure could talk. He realized that he had said he didn't mind talking to the other teen but they, or rather Syo, had been talking for about an hour straight. He was starting to wonder if the blonde even needed to breath since he hadn't taken so much as a gulp since he sat down with the white cat. He didn't even stop to eat lunch, and since Ai didn't have to talk he was feel to have his small salad.

"And I know I haven't been to as many places as you but-"

"Look, kid."

"Syo." The blonde huffed.

"Syo." Ai rolled his eyes. He stood from the chair across from the blonde. "It's been really nice talking to you and all, but I have something else to do."

"No, wait." He got up, the cat jumped onto the metallic table that separated them. 'I'm sorry for talking to much. I just don't talk to people very much."

Annoyed, Ai motioned to the cat. "Then talk to him."

As if my a pure work of fate, which Syo didn't believe in, Haruka and Tomohika walked in. Haruka, which was also unlikely, was the first one to speak. "Hello boys."

"Just the person I wanted to talk to." Ai said, taking a step away.

"Wait."

Ai turned to him, his eyes flashing and angry red, before going back to the emotionless face he always had, which made Syo step back in fear. The cyan haired picked up the knife he had left on the table in his try to escape Syo's prying and used it to force the metallic collar off the poor cat in front of him, just barely missing his neck with the serrated edge.

"There." He said. "Can we please talk Haruka?"

Much to Ai's surprise, she seemed shocked at the not so mazing thing that was happening in front of them. Jeez, it was like she didn't even know that the white little thing had a human form.

Otoya's limbs began to stretch painfully, the white hair receded, to let the pale skin that hadn't seen the any sort of light in over ten years reveal it's self to the three very stunned members and the one not to shocked.

"He's... He's..." Tomochika stuttered, not able to find the words.

"A person?" Haruka finished for her. "I had no idea."

"Really?" Ai looked at her. "It's a fairly common torture method in Xetune."

"Xetune?" She looked at him questioningly.

"That's my home planet."

Those were the first words she had ever heard Otoya say. As the boy, who looked to be about sixteen, climbed down from the table, stark naked. He had the same wide red eyes from when he was a cat, but, although pale, his skin had a natural sun-kissed look to it and his hair was redder than blood.

"I-I never even knew." The captain couldn't even look at him in shame."

"How could you not?" Ai asked.

"I've never been to Xetune."

"That can't-"

"It's true!" Otoya yelled, not even bothering to cover himself, as he ran to Haruka's side. He put his hands on her shoulders once he reached her. "Mama Haru has never been to Xetune. She bought me in Trilles O."

"Mama Haru?' Syo asked. He looked absolutely astonished. His face looked completely blank. "This is a joke right?"

Nobody answered him. His face turned angry. "This has to be a joke. I've spent eight years here, how could we have not known! This is some sick trick, right Tomo?"

"Syo, I-" She stopped not sure what to say or how to explain something she didn't understand either.

"Haruka?" He looked to her for answers like always.

She continued to look at her feet, not even scolding him for addressing her in such a formal way in front of others.

"Xetune is full of shapeshifters. If one were to be kidnapped, it's not surprising something like this could happen. The real question is how do you even know how to talk?"

"Well-" Otoya started.

"How can you talk! Cut the crap!" Syo shouted at them. "How are you not mad at us? It's too horrible."

"I've seen worse." The redheaded teen shrugged.

"That's not good enough! I spent every night, everyday, close to every waking minute with you. We played chess together, we did puzzles, how could I not know?"

"Chess and puzzles?" Ai folded his arms. "How could you not know?"

"I hate you!" Syo yelled to Ai before turning and running from the room.

"Syo." Otoya said weakly. His arms dropped from his owner.

"Don't go Otoya." Haruka said, fining her commanding voice. "Tomochika you go take care of that. I'll be there soon."

"Y-yeah." She took a second or two before taking off after him.

"If I knew it would cause a huge commotion I would have waited. I just wanted him to leave me alone for a bit." Ai said just like always, he didn't even sound apologetic.

"Yes and that you for all your 'help'. Now if you don't mind, please go back to your room before I have to have you escorted there. I have to deal with my sons."

Ai once again rolled his eyes. Haruka knew what he wanted to say the moment he opened his mouth. _"They aren't really your sons, you know."_

But he didn't, He opened his mouth then closed it. She could hear his teeth grinding. "Deal with your sons? You sound like my dad when i would get upset. I'll be in my room when you're done."

* * *

"Syo?" Tomo knocked on his door even though it was open a crack. But she could hear him. Although she couldn't understand why he would shed tears at a time like this, she knew the correct thing to do was comfort him.

 _"Because Haru told you that's what you need to do."_ The little voice in the back of her mind told her. After all, Haru was always right. She always tried her best to make everything seem normal.

"Go away!" He yelled at her. But she was already in his room, looking at him froma few steps away. Half of his face was buried in his pillow and the other half that wasn't was facing her. His normally blue eyes red and puffy.

"Hey it's okay. I mean, we had no way f knowing even if you did tell us. We've never even heard of Xetune."

He sniffled and sat up. "Are you sure?"

The redhead smiled at him. Around Syo it was so easy to say the right thing. "And think of it this way. When Ai stops traveling with us, you now have a brother thanks to him."

"I guess." The small blonde cleared his throat. "I really screwed up my chances at being his friend."

Tomochika sat down next to him, just like every other time he was upset, She had learned through eight years of experience that he liked to be close to someone while upset. So she wasn't surprised when his head fell on her shoulder and he leaned against her.

"You know." She gave his head a pat. "Haruka and I weren't friends at first and now we're like sisters."

"Really?" She couldn't see his eyes, his bangs hide them from her, but she knew that the tears hadn't stopped yet.

"Ah~ That's a long story. Maybe for another night. Just be happy you have a brother for now."

"One that's taller than me." He gave a small laugh.

"It happens." She giggled. "Haruka was taller than me as a child but now I'm the tallest and the oldest."

"It doesn't seem like it."

"Hey!" She jerked, forcing his head off her shoulder. At last he was smiling.

"Forget that. When do I get to call her Mama Haru?"

"Never if you want to live." The captain's voice came from the door way, Otoya was hiding behind her small frame, poorly. But he was cover with what looked like a tablecloth. "Good job Tomo. Maybe you can help Otoya find something that fits him."

"Syo's stuff would all be to small."

"Go check our closet." She pinched Otoya's cheek. "Go with her."

"Okay." He said and waited for Tomochika to pass his mother. "I'll be back so we can talk later Syo."

"O-Okay." The blonde gulped.

Haruka shut the door behind them as they left. "Syo, I have some things I want to tell you. I think after all this craziness there are something you need to know so there won't be anymore days like today."

"Haruka?"

She strutted over to his bed, heels clicking together as she stopped in front of him. "There is one thing before I tell you anything."

"What?" He gulped.

"Everything I tell you, it never leaves this room or I will hunt you down. No matter how far you think you can flee, anybody who hurts Tomochika, I will kill them. I have always and will always protect her."

"I-I understand." Scared, he didn't meet her eyes.

She forced his chin up with her hand so he had to look her in the eyes. Emotions swirled around in her eyes as clear as the view of the sky from his old home. Angry, love, sadness, and fear. Fear of all things to be apparent on her face was something more scary than her tone. "From the oceans of Trilles O to the darkness of the Obsidian Abyss I promise." Her words fell short at the terror written all over his face. She couldn't help but pull him into a hug. "I get it, you understand."

"Haruka?" He forced the lump stuck in his throat down.

"Tomochika and I both come from a planet in the Vortex Star System called Asmeon. That's where she met Him., and that's the one place we can never return."

 _Part I_

 _Trace the Galaxy_

 _End_

* * *

 ** _Wow, two reviews! -_**

 _Crystalized Flowers **I know it's a little hard to understand but I'm trying, this is he first Space fic I've tried. I'll try a little harder next chapter. And It's nice to see another person that doesn't like Haru's normal personality. I dislike it so she's always OOC, a lesbian, or dead in my fics.**_

 _Voxnihili BLOCK_ __ _ **I felt this fandom need more than just romance and Oc stories. I was wrong by the) way. And I promise not to give up on this story. (P.S. The Great Escape does have a squeal. My girlfriend told me to do this one first because it was something different)**_

 _ **Thanks for reading, reviewing (You two) and everything else.**_

 _ **SK**_


	6. Part 2 Chapter 1

**_A/N: This would have been out earlier, like last week, but I had to binge Miraculous Ladybug (and fall in love with a certain kitty)._**

 ** _Thanks to_ _Crystalized Flowers and_** ** _Voxnihili BLOCK for reviewing. I was very surprised to see you both looking forward to The Great Escape's sequel. I was actually putting it off because I didn't think it would do well._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

The little planet of Asmeon was in a quiet corner of the Vortex Star System. Asmeon was considered to be the earth of the Vortex galaxy. They did not have changelings or metal powers. They had simple lives that had almost nothing to do with outer space. But with a single crashed space ship, that looked like a luxurious cruise liner everything changed. The Asmeonians became curious about their neighboring planets. Within five years they had not only built their own space ports, but because the number seven inter-galactic trade station.

Haruka Nanami and Tomochika Shibuya had witnessed it all.

The Nanami's and Shibuya's were both families of trade. So when there became a new way to trade a merchant almost completely untouched by their people they both races to be the best. So needless to say the girls did not start out as friends. In fact the bitter rivalry that filled them almost made their future together nonexistent. It was only by sheer luck that they became friends. At a small business meeting.

 _5954_

Haruka glanced at her father. He older man looked just like her, right down to the sun colored golden eyes. Making his proud, she wore the dress he made specially made for this moment. He said that yellow brought out her eyes and whenever she was trying to impress someone she should wear it (needless to say, after meeting Tomo she never wore the color again). This moment, in her fathers words, would be one she remembered for the rest of her life. And how right he was.

She wore her beautiful yellow sundress, made of only the finest silks that the Vortex galaxy had to offer, in order to impress him. A traveler from a far off galaxy, named Ren Jinguji. The teen had come from a rather large family from a place named Lenus. Haruka was sure that her father wanted to marry her off to establish connections on a planet light years away.

"Why do I have to do this?" She asked her father, trying to look around the crowd for this stranger. For a 'small' business meeting there were a lot of people stuffed into a small room.

"You are the heir to the Nanami trading company." He answered her honestly with no emotion.

"I thought one of the boys would get the company."

"They aren't old enough, it falls to you until they are."

Her father was stern. The day that her mother had given birth to Haruka's three younger brothers, she thought her father would lighten up on her. After all, it was a man's job to run the company. But, if it were possible, he became more stern.

"Head up." Her father put his hand on her shoulder as they entered the ballroom door. "You are two years younger than the Shibuya's daughter. So you must impress this boy."

"Yes father."

The ballroom was dimly light. The music was slow and soft. And people crowded around to try to find their host. Haruka's father parted with her to look for ther host just like the other people there.

The small redhead crossed her arms over her chest. She started to tap her heeled foot on the tiled flooring. Her golden eyed looked on to another girl across the room, almost in the same position as her. She also had red hair (which wasn't uncommon for an Asmeonian) although it was set in beautiful long curls. This girl across the room with fiery red eyes and a crest upon her bosom that Haruka knew by heart.

Who knew that the Shibuya company had such a beautiful heiress? Though even with her heels she still stood at least half a foot shorter than the shorted haired girl.

Perhaps by mere fate their eyes meet at that ball. They had a wonderful time chatting after the young traveler had retired from the party meant for him. Though when their fathers noticed how they talked, with the sweet and innocent aura, they tramped in and separated them, each glaring at the other man.

It wasn't long before Haruka could call Tomochika a friend. Though it had to be a secret friendship, as no one in the two families would approve.

* * *

 _5955_

"Tomo?" Haruka called out. She walked down the dirty, well worn path. Mud caked onto the bottom of her rather expensive shoes but her dress was safe as she held up the sides. The hideout that her and her best friend was just a few feet away. She could see the outline of the small cottage house with the setting sun just beyond.

Haruka was so happy to be away from her father. He was being even more smothering than usual. As travel became more common throughout their home planet, the Nanami family seemed busier than usual. But with a small white lie to her mother, she had be granted to stay over a 'friend's' house.

She was so happy she was practically skipping. Until she saw the door to their house open. Worry spouted deep within her gut. "Tomo?"

She let the fabric of her blue gown touch the dirty ground as she finished the rest of the short hike in a burst of speed. Her emotions shown clearly on her face as she pushed her way through the mostly open door. As to be expected the normally neat cottage was a mess, as if a scuffle had broken out in the middle of the living room.

A crack ripped out through air when her shoe made contact with the glass that was scattered on the floor. "Tomo?" She said quietly. "Tomo are you here?"

"Ha-haru?" Tomo's meek voice could be heard from the corner of the room. She shied away once Haruka turned her way, heels breaking more glass.

"Oh, thank goodness."

"Don't come any closer!" Tomochika shrieked. She could be heard shuffling away.

"Tomo what's wrong?" Her worried showed honestly on her face.

"I-I've done something awful."

"If it's about the mess, then you really don't need to worry. I'll have one of father's maids come to clean it. Or if you don't feel comfortable with that, seeing as you stay here more than I do, I can start cleaning myself."

"N-No not that."

"Then what?" Haruka tried to inch closer but every move she made was countered by a sift shuffle of her best friend moving away.

"He said, he crashed here. He would only be here a little while."

"He?"

"The boy, he wasn't..." She stopped. "I just thought he needed a place to stay while he fixed his ship. But he lied. It was never broken."

"Tomo." She tried to sound calm. "I really don't understand."

"He was a monster. Like from the stories." The long haired redhead shivered. As Haruka's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could barely make out how incredibly pale her friend was. "And I was stupid enough to be his victim."

Haruka Nanami couldn't control her rage. Her friend was not stupid. It was her fault for not coming to the cottage to see her in so long. Haruka knew that Tomochika practically lived there, since she was third in line for her family's company. She should have been there when that boy came here and sweet talked his way into their hideout. She should have been there to stop him from doing whatever he did to Tomo.

"Tomochika, I need a name." Her nostrils flared. There was no where on Asmeon that he could hide from her. She would bring him to justice, even if she didn't know what he did or even what happened. She was going purely off of what the Shibuya heiress had told her. But that was enough, wasn't it? "I will kill him."

"It doesn't matter Haru. He's long gone by now, and I..." She trailed off.

The ship! Haruka bit her lip. Asmeon wasn't a problem but if he had fled to another planet or even galaxy, she doubted her influence could reach that far. But if she had a ship... "A name Tomo."

Tomochika averted her eyes as she whispered out the name. "Van. Van Kiryuin."

"I swear I will track down this Van Kiryuin for you, even if it takes my entire life."

"Why?" The other female cried out, finally taking a step towards her friend. "We only met a year ago. Our companies are rivals. And yes, you are my best friend, but why go through all this trouble for me? Don't you understand that you'd have to give everything up for this... this suicide mission?"

Haruka was shocked. She didn't exactly know why she was going through all of this for someone she had only actually known for a year. But... "Hey don't cry. This sounds like a great chance to see everything there is to see. Will you come with me?"

"M-me?"

"Yeah you. I don't know what he did, but if you come, we can make things better, somehow."

Tomochika bit her lip. "Yeah. I'd like that."


	7. Part 2 Chapter 2

**_A/N: I really miss writing horror._**

 ** _Thanks to_ _Crystalized Flowers_** ** _for reviewing. And yes, this fandom pretty much dead other than the OC stories. But there are still some amazing writers here like Blunderland (To name one of a few)._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _5957_

Tomochika didn't talk about it, and Haruka didn't ask. Their relationship was as simple as that. For two years since they had stolen a ship from Haruka's dad they understood that. But there was just something about that day. It was the day that they would never forget.

 _9555_

 _"Are you saying we should just take one of your dad's ships?" Tomochika had gasped at the idea of stealing from not only her best friend's parent, but also her family rival. "Can't we just find someone else?"_

 _"This is the easiest way." Haruka reassured her. "I know our docks like the back of my hand. I even know how to fly the ships. Father wanted me to know everything about our business just in case I had to take over for him before my brothers were ready. We'll have no problem sneaking in a grabbing one."_

 _"I don't like this idea Haru, it's wrong."_

 _Haruka spun around to look at her friend. She held her hands up to the darkening sky. They were on the main path headed directly to the Nanami family docks. "Just imagine the adventure that's waiting for us. It's only one stolen ship away. And think of it this way." She smiled happily. "These are technically my ships, so we aren't really stealing one, are we? It's more like borrowing-"_

 _"Are we going to give it back?" Tomo pouted._

 _"Well, no."_

 _"Then don't call it borrowing."_

 _"You're such a finicky person."_

 _"I prefer the term morally correct." Tomochika laughed._

 _After that they walked in silence and waited quietly as all the workers left for the night. The moss covered building was nothing new to Haruka, but to Tomochika the towering four story building was like a small palace. The front doors were made of a rare metal and all the windows were barred. but even so, she could see inside. There were ships lined up at each wooden dock, some small some big. Some looked like cruise ships that would sail the ocean, some were fully covered metal monsters._

 _But only one called to Tomochika as the 'owner' moved closer to it. A two story metal ship that looked as if it belonged to the sea. It even had sails made of the smae material as the rest of the ship. The bottom of it looked to be made of glass, but only at the very front end._

 _"What is that?" Tomo couldn't help but to gasp as her eyes fell on it._

 _"Our new home.' Haruka said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world._

 _"Do you even know how to work it?"_

 _"Of course!" Haruka tried not to snap. "I was my birthday present after all."_

 _"So when you said it wasn't really stealing?"_

 _"That's right!" The short haired one said. "Now all I have to do is open the roof then we can leave."_

 _Tomo looked up at the ceiling then back down to the massive ship. "Can we really man it by ourselves?"_

 _"Not forever, no. Eventually we'll need a crew, but I can at least get us to the next planet. Hopefully we can find some people to help us before father sends out a search party for us."_

 _"Why don't we just become pirates?" Tomo laughed at her joke. "Steal from whoever we please, and pay the crew that way."_

 _Haruka stroked her chin thoughtfully. "We'd need a business to cover for it. Steal from one planet and sell things to others where the things we take could be more valuable."_

 _Tomo stood shocked. "I was just kidding."_

 _"But it sounds like a great idea."_

 _"No it doesn't!"_

 _"Sure it does." Haru pulled a leaver from a panel that Tomo hadn't noticed. There was a loud screech before the sound of turning wheels and the opening of the sky door. "It wouldn't be hard either. Poor people are loyal when they need to be. I can offer food, shelter, clothing, and money to people from other planets. Ones that want more with their life than just rotting away in the slums of some no name place."_

 _"But, if they knew the only reason you want to travel is to kill a man-"_

 _"They don't need a reason why." She looked at the ground. Her teeth gritted she said more quietly. "And nether do I."_

 _"Haru..."_

 _"Come on." Haruka looked back up at her friend with a smile. "I knew I'd be able to talk you into this so for the last few days I've been stashing things we might need in there."_

 _Tomo felt Haruka grab her hand. She smiled at the warmth. This warmth, it was only hers. Tomo would make sure that nobody ever took it from her. "Haru?"_

 _"Yeah?" Her heels clanked against the wood as she pulled her friend behind her._

 _"Once we leave, let's never come back."_

 _"I wouldn't dream of it. But why do you say that?"_

 _"Because, from now on you're my sister, the only family I need. If we ever come back here it would be a reminder that we aren't." She hiccuped._

 _The short haired one spun herself on her heels to face Tomo. She couldn't believe the older girl was crying over something so... so little. "Of course. You're my sister and if this place makes you think that we aren't then we'll never return. Even after everything is said and done, we'll keep moving."_

 _"Yeah." Tomo smiled through her tears._

* * *

 _The next time they landed was on a planet named Iolea in the small and poor port city of Vernan. The place was a dusty brown, not even the grass grew green, and their water was murky and vile. Houses were falling apart, and it looked like many of the people preferred to sleep outside the crumbling mess rather than inside. But in the middle of the city was a large, somewhat glowing, palace. It was separated from the poorer people by a tick stone wall and iron gates._

 _"This place is just awful." Tomochika covered her mouth wither her hands. She looked on in horror at the poor citizens that lived in poverty when there was a giant and fancy house that would benefit all if only the people who lived there would share their wealth._

 _"This place is perfect." Haruka smiled watching a small ragged child pass them by as they walked through to see what little sights there were._

 _"Perfect?"_

 _"Let's liberate these people and start our days as pirates."_

 _"You're still on that?" Tomo cringed._

 _"It's a great idea."_

 _"But we still need a crew. How are we going to find the people that we need?"_

 _"Look around?" Haruka said happily. "We free these people from their probably tyrannical ruler and they'll love us."_

 _"And how do we do that?"_

 _The short haired girl looked thoughtfully at the palace for a moment. "I hadn't really thought that through yet."_

 _"And we also don't speak the language here."_

 _"Thanks for pointing out all the flaws." Haru said sarcastically. "Now how about some positive thinking."_

 _Tomo shook her head. "That's all you do."_

 _"And look where it's gotten us."_

 _"You'd better have a good idea or I'll have to use my trump card."_

 _Haruka gleamed. "Trump card sounds fun."_

 _"It's not."_

 _Haruka winced. The tone that Tomo used was different than her normal 'That's a bad idea' one that she used. The only thing that she could think of was to put her hand on her best friend's shoulder and shake her head._

 _"I've got this covered. Now let's go back to the ship."_

 _"Yeah."_

* * *

 _Haruka waited until it was dark to make her move. She was already unhappy with how things were going. First Tomochika had refused to help her coordinate the plan on the first night. She had claimed that they needed more time to understand what was happening in this city. Tomo insisted on playing everything safe. Haruka on the other hand, wanted to just jump in. She wanted to march up to the gates of the palace and demand they hand over money for the citizens or die by her hand._

 _Thankfully, they went with Tomo's idea. A simple and quick assassination by night._

 _"This is going to be so boring." Haruka sighed from her crouched position on the east side of the stone wall. The plan was complicated and it made Haruka not even want to bother with helping these people. From what she had seen over the past few days, they didn't even want help. Everyone in this little city seemed content with how they lived. Haruka didn't want those kind of people on her ship. She wanted people who would fight for their lives. People who knew that they came from nothing and would give everything to never return to it. She wanted the ones that would claw their way out of the hellhole that life had stuck them in using their own two hands... Just like..._

 _Her thoughts were interrupted but Tomo's words. "This is the safe way."_

 _"Safe way, boring way, is there a difference?"_

 _"Just do what I told you and everything will work out, okay?"_

 _Haruka looked back at her. Tomo was crouching behind her, dark hood pulled up over her face. Her skin was barely visible in the dark nights that the planet of Iolea often faced. But her dark red eyes pierced Haruka's very soul. She didn't look like her Tomo anymore. She looked like a monster from the fairy tales her mother had read to her as a young child. She was the demon._

 _Reahing out a hand to touch her, to make sure that she was still Tomochika, her best friend, her sister. "Tomo?"_

 _Her eyes seemed to dim as her head snapped in Haruka's direction at the contact of her skin. "Ready to get a crew?"_

 _"Yeah." Haruka said, unsure of everything._

 _A scream was what drew Haruka back to her mission. Her and Tomochika had split up once they infutrated the palace. Haruka took the right, and Tomo the left. Maids and staff members were to be unharmed and liberated, while the royal family members were to be killed swiftly and painlessly. But a scream meant pain._

 _"What the hell is she doing." Haruka muttered to herself as she ran through the corridor, dodging the doors of the workers that were opening at the sudden sound._

 _The trill stopped right before she reached the king's room. Haruka almost fell to her knees when she saw the sight in front of her. At first she feared the worst, maybe they had somehow gotten and hurt Tomo, but the sight before her was far worse._

 _Her best friend looked at her with dark eyes. Her blood covered hand still holding on the the queen's dismembered arm. The crimson coloring was everywhere, it looked like a bloodied tornado hit the room. Fragments of the king's body were stuck in chunks to the wall. And sweet Tomo just stood innocently in the middle holding that limp body part._

 _"Tomo..." Haruka could barely speak at the sight. It was just too much for even her. "What did you do?"_

 _"Haru." Her lip curled up. "I just did what needed to be done."_

 _"But..."_

 _"Now you'll have a crew that will fight for their lives. Who wouldn't after seeing what a real monster can do."_

 _Sadly it was true. Even Haruka wanted to run, she wanted to get as far away as she could after seeing what her sister could really do. But she just couldn't leave Tomo. She had made a promise. So with staggering legs, she forced herself over to the taller female and hugged her tightly._

 _"You're right. Thank you." Haru whispered. "But I won't make you do anything so awful ever again. I promise to protect you."_

 _"How can you protect me from myself?"_

 _She didn't even need a second to think. "I'll find a way."_

 _Tomo looked down at her, letting her words sink in. She could feel the water welling up in her eyes. Letting go of the arm, she wrapped her arms around Haruka, and let herself cry, as maids and other members of the staff and household slowly arrived at the gory scene._


	8. Part 2 Chapter 3

**_A/N: R &R_**

 ** _Thanks to_ _Crystalized Flowers_** ** _for reviewing._**

 ** _Chaotic_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _5957_

"So cute." Tomo blushed as she squealed for the millionth time that day.

"We don't need a monkey." Haruka chided. "In fact we can barely take care of the crew, we don't need a pet."

"But Haru, they need me. Just look at those big eyes. He wants me to set him free."

"No!" Haruka sighed. Tomochika was like this every time she saw a cute animal. Haruka didn't understand how she could find these creatures, from other galaxies, so cute. They were weird. One of them didn't even have fur! What had the merchant called it? A naked mole-rat? Haruka shivered thinking about it. She just wasn't an animal person.

"Why don't you want any pets? It's not fair, I get so lonely while you're working." Tomo spun around and poked her friend on her cheek and made a pout. Her red, pleading eyes, were staring straight into Haruka's soul. She looked just like a little kid with that look on her face, even if she was taller than the short haired redhead.

"Y-you don't need a pet. Come on, stop looking at me like that. It's embarrassing."

"Please." Tomochika pouted even more, sticking out her bottom lip.

"No!"

"Haru." She dragged out the 'ru' trying to sound even more childish.

The merchant behind Tomo gave out a small cough as he put the brown fuzzball of a monkey back into it's cage. "Ma'am why not just by her something small and independent? Like a cat maybe?"

"Cat?" Haruka tilted her head to see around the tall, yet childish, person blocking her view. "What's that?"

He gave a short laugh. "You don't know what a cat is?"

Tomo, recovering from her insane bout of regression, turned to the man. "We aren't really from around here, but I'd like to look at one."

"You speak really well for not being from around here." He scratched his head. "Sadly I don't sell them, though I do know a guy who might be willing to sell you girls one."

"Really?" Tomo's eyes shimmered with excitement. "Where is he?"

"Tomo." Haruka hushed her.

"His name is Raging Otori. He's a famous nobleman here, but I can get you an appointment with him." The man rubbed his hands together.

"A nobleman?" Haruka mumbled.

"Really?" Tomochika practically jumped. "How soon?"

The merchant looked at a silvery band he had bound to his wrist. He scratched his balding head and looked back at them with a small smile. "It's about noon now. Come back around dinner time."

"Thank you." Tomo smiled gratefully.

"Hey." Haruka said to him once Tomochika had calmed down, right before they started on their way again. "If I want to learn more about this world of yours, where would I go?"

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well I guess you could go to the library."

"Thank you." She nodded to him, before Tomochika grabbed her arm and lead her away.

* * *

When they first arrived at the library the two suns had been high in the sky. Both Haruka and Tomo were overwhelmed by the amount of books stacked in the small brick building. From floor to ceiling, metal shelves held the vast knowledge that the people of Arborlon had accumulated over the years. And it was indeed a vast amount. Even though the people on their home planet prided themselves on how knowledgeable they were, it was only a speck of dust compared to here.

Grabbing the first book she touched, Haruka flipped it open. "It's different from how we write."

"But it's like we speak the same language." Tomochika, who had also grabbed a book, muttered aloud. She then turned her head to Haruka. "It shouldn't take long to learn."

 _'People like you don't need to know how to read.'_

Haruka flinched. "You stay here and figure it out. There is something I want to check on." She tossed the book aside, her friend barely catching it before it hit on the the full shelves.

"Haru?"

"And if you leave," She turned her head back with a sickly sweet smile. "I'll be very mad at you."

She watched her friend flinch. She could tell that Tomo wanted to ask what was going on, but she knew better. There were just somethings that they didn't have to share. They agreed on that.

Exiting the gray bricked building, Haruka couldn't help but to look around. This place was rather nice. Strips of greenery littered the streets. Tall trees reached up to the dusty gray sky, their branches almost looking like hands.

 _'Arborlon, huh?'_ Haruka shrugged taking off to the streets, looking for something, anything that would reminder her of her home. She couldn't help it, she actually missed Asmeon. _'The biggest city on the planet of Trilles O. It's famed all throughout the universe for it's beautiful crystal blue oceans.'_

But even the most beautiful places had a certain filth to them that, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't hide. It was the same with Asmeon. To Haruka it was a beautiful place, but underneath it was just like every where else.

She couldn't help but to burst out in a fit of laughter. The redhead knew she would draw the attention of the people nearby, but she didn't care. Where was it? Where were they? The only people she knew would be loyal to her. The people that wanted to leave and had nothing to lose by trusting her. She would make her crew, her pirates, be the best. And to do that, she needed people from all over. She couldn't count on the fact that Tomochika was incredibly smart, and had an easy time figuring out things such as languages, forever. She needed people from the different planets, galaxies, to tell her the ins and outs, to whisper in her ear. If she kept them safe and well fed they would help her. They would tell her things other might not.

They would lead her straight to Van Kiryuin. That was the only thing the mattered, and she couldn't figure out why. Why was she so mad at him? She had barely known Tomo when she decided to drop everything and chase him down. There were so many questions. But somehow, she felt as if she his blood on her hands was something she needed. To have blood on her hands again...

Straightening herself, she tried hard to wipe the smirk from her face. "Now then." She muttered. "Where are they?"

* * *

"It's so big!" Tomochika's eyes sparkled in fake innocence. "I've never seen such a big house."

Haruka wanted to laugh, she sounded so convincing. But she didn't. She couldn't even smile. If this was going to work then she needed to make everything seem as real as possible. Tomochika's want to see this mysterious pet cat, and own one (not that Haruka would be letting that happen anytime soon), was the perfect excuse to see the inside of his house. Maybe there would be something good there that would fetch a nice price back in the Asteria Nebula galaxy.

She let her golden eyes glance secretly at the man. Raging Otori. He was a rather tall man with ash brown hair. He wore such dark glasses that Haruka couldn't see his shifty eyes, not that she wanted to. And he also wore a smug smiled on his face. He looked like someone she couldn't trust. But she didn't need to trust him to get a look at all the riches his three story house probably held.

"It's so magnificent." Haruka said, trying her hardest to not sound bored.

"One day Haru and I will live in a big house just like this." Tomochika squealed, taking the pressure off of her. Her eyes shown with pure joy.

Otori looked down at her with that thug-like smile and gave her a quick pat to the shoulder. "Tomochika was it? Maybe you and you're friend would like to stay here for a few days?"

Tomo looked at Haru. Her eyes not pleading or big like they had been whilst looking at the strange animals. "Do you think we could take just a minor detour on our trip Haru?"

Haru, knowing she'd had to play the bad sister, shook her head. "Afraid not, mum and dad would be worried about us if we showed up later than we already are."

"That's a shame." He sounded let down. "Well then I guess I should show you my wears so you girls can get back to your parents."

"Thank you." Both girls chimed at the same time.

"Ladies, You can head to the parlor, first door on the left and I'll be there shortly."

They nodded to him before they turned their backs to him and went their separate ways.

"So," Haruka raised an eyebrow as they walked. "biggest you ever seen?"

"That's better than just saying magnificent." Tomochika laughed teasingly. "Although, this place does look bigger once you're inside. You'd better take note of that."

"I agree. This is something the crew should be made aware of, for their own safety."

"Will you be leading them in again?"

Haruka smiled at her friend and gave a short chuckle. "There's nothing more fun."

"Can I come?"

"For what? The cat?" Haruka's eyebrow arched in disapproval. "No. I won't risk your safety over an animal."

"But I know you won't take on for me. You'll just let it go."

"That's exactly what I plan to do. You don't need a cat."

Tomochika opened her mouth.

"Or a monkey, gerbil, or anything like that."

She pouted and flopped down into one of the fancy looking chairs. "No fair."

"Life's not fair."

"Thanks mom." Tomo huffed.

With another chuckle, the shorter redhead took the chair next to Tomo and waited for the man to come back. The sooner he came back the sooner they could leave this place behind. Where would they go after Devtera of the Asteria Nebula? There were so many places left they could go. So many sights to still see. The Milky Way galaxy sounded nice. If she had heard right, much like the Gamma Orionis galaxy which they were currently in, The Milky Way only had one sun. How stunning that must be.

She was ushered out of her thoughts at the sound of the door opening.

"Sorry to keep you waiting for so long. This little guy can be feisty." Otori said with a frown etched into his features. In his arms, a tiny little puffball of white fur struggled. Haruka could see it's angry little face as it hissed at him. The sound of growling rippled through the air, and the man seemed to have no choice but to set the animal down. "Little Otoya here isn't very friendly, but worry not we have plenty more that have been trained."

"Where'd you get him?" Haruka asked eyeing him. Tomo on the other hand had no interest in what the other two people were saying and tried to befriend the creature. She slid of her chair onto the ground just to try to get a better look at it from under the table where it was hiding.

"A really good friend of mine owed me a favor and gave it to me as a present."

"And you have more?"

"Yes." Otori rubbed his hands together.

"So is this one, Otoya, for sale?"

The brunette's lips curled up. "I'm afraid not. He is so temperamental that I wouldn't dare sell him to you fine young ladies. No, I'm afraid he was the only one done with his grooming, so the only one I had to show."

Haruka smiled devilishly. "Oh, you know we could have waited just a little longer if it meant seeing one we could have."

"Again, I am sorry. But this little thing is for another client that would be able to handle it better."

"I see." She sighed. Telling her she couldn't have something only made her want it more. "That's to bad. I like a challenge." She gracefully lifted herself from her chair and called out to Tomo. "It's time to go."

"Goodbye little one." Tomo said to the cat before getting up and running over to her friend. "Now what?"

Haruka didn't answer her until they were far from the man's prying ear. "How would you like a kitten of you're very own?" Satisfaction written clearly on her face. "I'm thinking maybe one that's white and looks like a poof ball."

"Yay!" Tomo pounced on her, forcing her into a giant hug. "I love you so much, you're the best!"

"Yeah, I know."

* * *

Night was always Haruka's favorite time of day. When the moons could watch over her and stars could guide her steps. An ever constant thing in her life. No matter where she went, there would always, eventually, be a night. A time of darkness when she could do what she was best at. Members of her crew, mostly only the ones that had been there since her first time gathering people at Vernan, joked about how opposite her and Tomo were. Tomo was bright and cheerful. Her bubbly out look on life was infectious and could make anyone she met happy. Then there was Haruka. Dark and stern. For the newer members of her ever growing crew, she could strike fear into them with a simple gaze. When she wasn't with Tomo, people flinched as she walked by. Proud, powerful and brave. Tomo's gaze was always filled with compassion while Haru often had a look of utter disdain. They truly were polar opposites.

Haruka took in the smell of salt, her nostrils flaring. Her hand swept across the thin blade, safely tucked into her boot, as she pushed herself up off the wooden dock. She could feel the planks beneath her vibrate as the footsteps of thirty men fell into place behind her. She didn't need to look back at their faces to know they were ready. They had always had that look in their eyes. Kill or be killed. That's how the streets were for the people she picked up. And she knew better than anyone else, if you kill enough and climb those bodies, one day you could make it to the place that was filled with beauty.

 _'Ah, the place next to Tomo.'_ She couldn't help but think it. Her crew would agree. If not for the long haired twenty year old none of them would have been there. Without ever realizing it, she had saved so many people. So to them, she was the most beautiful thing they had ever laid eyes on.

With a frown on her face, and the look to kill etched into her eyes, she barked at the men behind her. "You're princess wants a kitten. I don't care about the people there, but Tomochika will have the kitten called Otoya. Understand boys?"

There was a roaring cheer behind her as the men marched forward.

With how loud they were, Haruka was surprised the whole neighborhood didn't wake up. But then again, there wasn't much of a neighborhood where his house stood. People like him made it easy for her boys to rob them and get out. Who was going to hear the cried of a person who lived miles away from town and had their own docks? No one would be coming to save him, and no one would be chasing after them for the crime they would commit. Not that it always went that easily. There were still places looking for them like Cluna G1R8. That just meant she would have to be more careful if she ever went back there.

Haruka, being the captain, decided to take her sweet time walking up to the house. She knew that the thirty people she had hand chosen for this could get the job done without her help. She just liked to experience the thrill and terror of the people whom she decided deserved this pain.

"Captain." One of the men met her a short walk from the front steps. "I know you said you didn't care about the people here, but.."

His voice trailed off when her golden eyes locked with the purple ones of a young, barely younger than Haruka if she were being honest, boy, who had the same locks as Otori. Behind him cowered another, with the same ash brown hair and purple eyes. The older one, looked at her from behind spectacles, stood firmly though his lips quivered.

"What should we do with them?" The one who had come up to her asked. "Should we-"

"They are mine now." She interrupted him. Haruka didn't take a second glance at the man, though she knew he was looking at the ground, before strutting off to the two young boys. Her lips pressed into a tight frown, and under the moon, that made her eyes shine brighter than the suns, her words had a certain venomous ring to them. "Do you like it here?"

The older of the two nodded.

"And your names are?" She asked, mostly looking at the one who cowered behind his older brother.

"Eiichi." The glasses one spat. "And he's Eiji"

"Well." She smiled happily. "You both are mine now, so let's take a short walk."

"But captain." The man called, he still hadn't brought his eyes up to look at her.

"Have you found the kitten yet?"

"N-no."

"Then take a hike." She smiled at him, a cruel and devilish smile that made the poor man shiver. "And don't talk to me again until you find him. Or I'm leaving you here."

He nodded, not daring to speak, before running off.

"All of this for a kitten?" Eiichi asked, turning his head away from her in frustration. "Is that all our lives are worth to you?"

"Now who said anything like that?" Haruka put her arm around his shoulder forcing him to walk. "That's just a little gift."

"For who?" The little one spoke for the first time.

Haruka looked up at one of the two moons. "For a monster."

"I don't believe you." Eiichi scoffed. "There's no such thing."

"This one is real though. You wouldn't think it at first, because this monster is absolutely beautiful."

"Monsters aren't beautiful. They're scary." Eiji said shyly.

"Not this one." Haruka smiled at the youngest.

"Enough of this crap." Eiichi said, hate filled his voice.

"Careful boy, I could easily feed you to my monster. I do that with all the bad children."

"Why don't you just kill us already? Why do you have to prolong it?"

"You think I want to kill you? What good would that do?"

Both boys looked at her stunned.

"I'll give you a choice, because I don't just tell people no. The first," She held up her index finger. "You can stay here, and tell everyone you have no idea what happened or who did it, and I will come by every so often to check on you. Two, you can come with me and never come back here."

"And three?" The teen gulped, holding his little brother's hand.

"You're death will be painless." She said solemnly. "Children shouldn't have to suffer a slow death by my brutish men."

"And if we tell someone?"

Haruka sighed. Why did they always ask that? "Then you are no longer children. When I find out which of you told, and yes I will find out, that one will suffer the most."

"Nii-chan." The little one tugged. Getting a better look at him, as he was no longer standing behind his brother, she would have had to guess him to be about five or six. "Let's just stay here. It's not so hard to keep things a secret?" His head titled.

"F-fine." Eiichi said. "Is there anything else to know?"

"No, it's late. I'll inform my spies before I leave to check on you tomorrow and tell you all you need to know to be in my service." She took her arm off of his shoulder. Giving a short wave, she left the two, or rather just Eiichi, contemplating things.

"Captain!" She heard her name being shouted. Her eyes were met the the smiling face of the man she had scolded and a tiny little pile of white fuzzy. "I found him."

"Well that didn't take long now did it?" She smiled as she lift Otoya into her arms. "Come on little one, I will take you home."


	9. Part 2 Chapter 4

**_A/N: I just keep telling myself one more story then I'll move on. LIES! *Sighs*_**

 ** _I guess this is kinda a filler chapter. The next one will be longer._**

 ** _Reviews make me update faster, not to mention longer chapters._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _5973_

Of course there were parts of the story that Haruka left out. What kind of mother figure would she be if she told the poor child everything at once. In fact, there were things that she had yet to tell Tomo even after eighteen long years. And she was sure there were things that Tomochika kept from her. Not as much as the old days, Haruka now knew exactly what that scum Van had done to her best friend, but there were still pieces of Tomo's life that didn't add up. Tomochika thought the same thing about Haruka, and the short haired woman knew it.

Syo let out a laugh. "You really do love kids don't you?"

"Huh?" Was the only intelligent thing she could think of after hearing him say that. She had never really thought about it. She didn't think she was particularly fond of them, but it wasn't as if she went out of her way to kill them either.

"It makes so much sense when you think about it." He elaborated. " I was wondering why you would do so much when you barely knew her. It's because she so child like. You probably see her the same way you see me."

The realization of what he was saying hit her like a brick wall straight to the face. She could never figure out why she had been so drawn to Tomochika. Maybe he was right. Maybe she did have a soft spot for children. And Haruka knew better than anyone else how childish her best friend could be. But it still didn't make sense either. There was always something... darker about Tomo even before everything that had happened that drew her in. That very first time that they locked eyes Haruka felt fear. Something sinister hide behind those beautiful eyes and uplifting smile. Something even Haruka didn't want to, or maybe just couldn't, face. And sure Haruka had only told Syo about that sweet and innocent charm that Tomo always had, but this was something she'd rather keep to herself. If he never saw that side of Tomochika Shibuya then he shouldn't have to fear it.

Because the real monster was there long before Haruka ever laid eyes on the long haired woman.

Haruka scoffed at Syo, trying hard to hide her smile. "Believe whatever you want."

Syo sat cross-legged on his bed after Haru moved away. He looked down, letting his blonde locks hide his eyes from her and the rest of the room (though it was only the two of them in there). "I'm really glad."

"For what?'

"Just... I'm glad you didn't know about Otoya. I mean..." He stuttered trying to get the right words out. "I would have loved to have him as a friend growing up, but I.. Well... I'm glad that you weren't keeping him in that form to punish him."

The captain shrugged. "Tomo wanted a kitten, and she fell in love with that one. It was just a chance that what happened, happened."

"Still." Syo grabbed his ankles and started to rock back and forth. "He's been a cat this whole time. How do I face him?"

"The same way you always did." She answered plainly. "Isn't he still your friend? The only difference now is that he can talk to you."

"I suppose."

"Don't worry so much about it." Haruka said to him before leaving. She honestly didn't know what to tell him. Then again, it didn't seem like that big a deal to her. So what if his pet turned out to be a person? Now he has a friend his own age to play with, and he can stop annoying Ai. This really did turn out for the better. Half of her was glad that all those years ago Tomochika kept pestering her about the little white puffball.

* * *

Nothing, except for maybe Shibuya's smile, was more beautiful that standing among the stars. Although Haruka couldn't actually stand out in the frigidness of space, she could enjoy them from the glass bottom of her observation room. It was her favorite place. After all the people on her ship had gone to sleep, and the lights dimmed, she liked to go there and just watch. Sometimes she would close her eyes and imagine that she was one of those bright balls of gas, suspended in space. What had they seen over the years? How many people had passed through this very route? What would they witness next? When would they burn out, and leave nothing behind?

To be so dazzling, so bright, Haruka could only dream of being like that. The stars reminded her of Tomochika. One day all that brightness would burn away. Would their be anything left of the woman she knew when that happened? Would Tomo still be Tomo? Or would the only thing that remained be that scary bleak darkness that Haruka could never face?

"Captain?"

Haruka spun around. She hadn't heard his footsteps. She hadn't even heard him enter. But her sun-like eyes met with the pale cyan ones of Ai. Looking up and down at him, she noticed he didn't look ready to sleep. His hair, although it was no longer pinned up, was neatly brushed over his left shoulder, and the only thing missing from his attire was the normal white jacket he usually wore.

"What are you doing up?"

He frowned at her lack of feelings. "I could ask the same of you?"

"I'm older than you and the captain of this ship. I don't have to answer. You, however, are a passenger and are required to answer to me."

"Where I come from, night is like the daytime."

She folded her arms over her chest. A wicked grin smeared it's self across her face. "Oh really? I didn't know that Skyria Plyke was like that. Maybe next time I visit I'll check out the night time festivities."

"No.. I-" He stammered.

"Keep your lies straight, Ai, or I might start asking questions." She let the smile drop and returned to her neutral face. "So what are you doing?"

"I was looking for you." He said, jumping off the walkway and landing next to Haruka on the glass."

"Here I am."

"Here you are." He repeated distantly, almost subconsciously.

"What do you want?" She said sharply.

"I wanted to know you would go through so much trouble for another person."

"Why wouldn't I?" Haruka didn't even look at him. Her eyes could only see the stars. "Haven't you ever loved someone so much you would give everything for them?"

"Maybe?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.

"For Tomo, I would capture the universe. I would seize anything she could ever dream on having and present it to her on my knees if she ask. She is my sister, and I love her with all of my being."

"You would kill a man just to get her a kitten?"

"I would have killed him anyways."

"You'd abduct a child just because she want to see if Prindans really had, what your people call, psychic abilities?"

"Getting Syo was an accident. But yes, that is the reason we went to Prinda." She admitted for the first time out loud after eight long years.

"You'd spend the rest of you're life tracking down a monster just for her?"

Haruka turned to him, a scowl now on her face. "So you've heard of me from the spies? Which planet, I'll personally kill them."

"You can't kill the dead." He said. "But yes, I know everything about you. But I can't figure out why? Why go through all of this for her?"

"Because!" She yelled, her voice bounded off the glass and echoed in the closed room. "It was supposed to be me! Tomochika had such a good life. If I had shown up a day earlier then it would have been me and not her. I let it happen to her,so I will find the cure for it."

He didn't offer her any sympathetic looks or even a nod. "It's not a death sentence. Somethings kill you, some don't. You might never find a way to actually cure her. Even if you do look for the place I told you about."

"You don't know anything." She scoffed and turned her face away from his. "Anything she wants or needs I will get it for her."

He shook his head. "I'm going to bed."

Haru waited for him to reach the door before saying anything. "Hey." She made him turn back. "My offer still stands, because I like that look in your eyes. Do you know why?"

He shrugged. "I know everything about you."


	10. Part 2 Chapter 5

**_UUUHHH Part two SUCKS! I can't wait for part four. For any of you wondering, there are four parts plus an epilogue._**

 ** _Thank you Crystalized Flowers For reviewing. Unfortunately for you (me and my beta) part four is mostly about Ai. So it might be a wait._**

 ** _I love and appreciate all and any reviews. And I kinda want to hear what people think. Is the pacing to fast, is there not enough description?_**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _5973_

It was weird. Not only for Haruka but for Syo as well. In fact, Haruka was a little iffy about coming back to Prinda after so long. Syo might have thought of her and Tomo as family now, but this was still where his real home was, with his real family that she had stolen him from. She couldn't even blame him if the second she took her eyes off him he bolted away. What she had done was wrong and some days, like this one, she regretted pulling him from his normal life. What kind of a life would he have now if not for her? What would have been so wrong with returning the child home after her and Tomo got what they were looking for? From what she had seen, it was the middle of the night on Prinda when she had taken him. His wild stories of being abducted by two red headed women would have been easily dismissed as a bad dream. But at the time she hadn't thought of that possibility. She was still young, and she knew that their would be people looking for her trail. But one little Prindan boy would have been nothing for her to worry about.

"Syo." She called to him as he entered the deck with Otoya, who had become fast friends.

His big blue eyes looked at her. They shimmered in a way similar to Tomochika's when she was excited. "Yes?"

"Do you remember Prinda?"

He tilted his head to the side, as if the motion would actually help him remember something. "Nope, should I?"

She gritted her teeth. "No, that's fine." Did he really not remember? Or did he not want her to feel bad? Usually he was childish, much in the same way as Tomo, but there were some time (as few as there were) that he could act responsible. There were times that she couldn't read him like the open book that he normally was to her. The way that his eyes shimmered made her want to believe him, but there was just something about him that made her not trust his words. It wasn't like she didn't trust Syo as a person, but it wasn't like him to not remember a place he had been. He was a travel geek. He could name every planet he had seen. He could also, out of the planets that he had seen, name the ones that he had been on because there were just sometimes that Haruka felt that he would have been safe enough with his cat to traverse the streets while she was doing business.

"Well." She straightened her silver, tight, jacket as she cleared her voice. "Everyone listen up. No funny business. We are only here to refill supplies before heading out to our true destination. Let's make this fast, and try not to draw attention. I'll be honest with you all." Her voice drawing all the workers attention to her. Even the people out in the hall peeked their heads in to listen and look at her. "I don't like being on Prinda. The less time we spend here the happier I will be. Understood?"

There was a choir of voices that echoed her last word back at her. It made her smile to see her crew understand. "Dismissed!" She yelled. And with that everyone went back to their stations.

"Mama?" Otoya tilted his head to her as she made her way up to them. She put a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. "Syo I don't want you off the ship. Understood?"

"That's not fair!" He glared up at her with those blue eyes, the excitement falling away from his face. "Prinda's not that dangerous is it? You always walk around with me when there's no deals to be made. And Tomo is feeling okay today."

"I said no." She responded with a cold tone.

"There is Otoya and even Ai. I don't understand why you are doing this!"

Her hand squeezed his shoulder. She looked down at him with angry eyes and she could feel him flinch beneath her touch. "I said NO! Do you understand or do I have to have you locked up while we are here?"

He quickly looked away from her. She wasn't sure if it was fear or that he just could stand up to her. "I understand."

"Good." She let go. "Go back to your room, I need to talk to Otoya."

"Whatever." He muttered tearing away from her hand. He purposely stormed off loud enough for her to know that he went in the direction of his room, which was on the other side of the ship than the exit.

Red eyes look up at her. The spark of anger, disappointment, in them Haruka didn't miss. His voice however was still quiet and seemed to harbor no ill-will. "Mama Haru?"

"Otoya you'll look after him won't you?" She asked him kindly.

"I always do." He answered a little plainly.

"Otoya do you like having Syo as a brother?"

"O-of course." He blushed.

"Then make sure he stays on the ship."

"He seems unhappy though."

Haruka clicked her tongue. "Why don't you take him to the observation room while I'm out. I'm sure that will make him feel a little better."

Otoya nodded. He gentle pulled away from her, but stopped before completely walking away. "You know, I think that you should trust him a little more."

"Otoya..." She looked at him sadly. She couldn't tell him that it wasn't Syo that she didn't trust. She wanted to let him out, she really did. But even after all the years that he had spent away from this place, he was still one of this planet's people. He looked like he belonged here, because he did. She didn't want to let him go. If he didn't remember being in this place, then it was for the better that he didn't wasn't just doing it for herself... She wasn't! "I wish I could."

Otoya only shook his head at her before running off. She wouldn't blame him for being disappointed in her. She was a little frustrated with herself.

* * *

"Why did I have to come walking with you?" Ai said dully. He was obviously very bored with this bronze planet, or so he made it sound. At every sight his eyes lingered for a second longer than they should have. He placed his hands behind his head and tilted his face to the sky, trying to make it look like he wasn't staring.

Haruka almost laughed at how dishonest he was with himself. "Do you know what Prinda is famous for?"

"The people's strong psychokinetic abilities. Everyone knows that."

"Wrong." She said waggling her finger at him. She knew that his statement was right, for the most part, but she didn't mean what were the people famous for. And they weren't really famous for that, it was more like infamy. "Matra is the largest city on Prinda, but one thing makes it stand out more than any other city in this galaxy. Do you know what it is?"

Ai thought for a second. His eyes wondered around, as if the answer would be right in front of him. And in a way it was. "I don't know." He finally answered, giving up with a shrug.

"Matra has this giant Holo-dome that covers the entire city. It allows them to change the weather, the temperature, anything with just a click of a button. It's even better than just that. Each section has their own panel. Section three could be snowing while section two is in the middle of summer. It's fascinating. They truly are the most advanced place I've ever been to."

"Have you been to Lenus?"

"Yes."

"They are way more advanced."

"Yes and no." She corrected him. "Lenus was on par with Prinda for a long time. But once the Lenus Prinda contract was formed Lenus was able to borrow this technology from Prinda. Prinda got amazing things in the deal, but originally it was Prinda on top."

"I never thought you'd be such a geek about things like this." He admitted at little surprised.

"It's good to know things like this. Can I break through the security if i have to leave in a hurry? No, so I don't steal from here anymore."

"Anymore?" She peaked his interest. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"That was a long time ago." She smiled to herself.

"Why the history lesson?"

"Well usually I walk around with Syo and teach him everything he hasn't had a chance to learn. Normally this would be his lesson, but you learned something right? Don't complain."

"Which begs the question again; Why do I have to be the one to walk with you?"

"I grounded Syo to the ship. I don't like Prinda."

"I heard." He let his arms drop, and stared at her. "But aren't you being a little too over protective? Unless you have a reason you still think he shouldn't be here?"

"No I-"

"What is it? Do you not trust him? Think he'll run away?" He pried, although he had a smirk on his face that told her he already knew all the answers. "Or is it you think he'll find someone he knows and not know what to do? Let me tell you, I may not be able to do amazing things like change the weather with a click of a button or move things with my mind, but I do know he would always come running back to you. No matter what awful thing you do."

The last part came out like a whisper, and she almost missed it. Almost. Her head whipped around and she glared daggers at him with those piercing sun-like eyes. "Who the hell are you?" She couldn't stop the words. She had been doing a good job at holding them back, but they started to spew forth and she couldn't stop it now. "How do you know so much? You make it seem like you know everything. What I did, what I'm doing what I plan to do."

"Because I do know."

"How!" She yelled at him. A few pairs of eyes fell on them, but once the Prindans realized it was in a language they didn't understand, most left. Her hands balled into fists, ready to strike him. "There are things you seem to know that I haven't told any one. Things I haven't thought about in decades. Who are you?"

He tilted his head. "Do you really want to know?"

* * *

Syo paced up and down the glass floor. Prinda was just as he remembered. He had heard, mostly from spying on Tomo and Haruka, that they had improved a lot after he left. The contract that his dad had went to Lenus to make had gone through. But a lot hadn't changed. Even from the glassy room, a good twenty feet above land, he could see the bronze grass. Stopping in midpace, he looked down, for the umpteenth time in the last hour.

 _'Home'_ He shook his head. This wasn't home. It couldn't be. His home was with Tomo and Haruka. This was just the place he was before he met them. but still...

"Syo?" Otoya said, his voice filled with worry. He had giant puppy-dog eyes, which was somewhat amazing since he was actually a cuddly kitty.

It was his idea to go to the observation room, even if he claim Haruka told him they could. He was still the one who brought the blonde there. So if he was going to do something to make himself worry so much what was the point?

"What's wrong Otoya?"

His red eyebrows knitted together. He opened then closed his mouth several times, as if he didn't want to say something. But he did anyways. "Haruka is calling for you. She said to make sure you're properly dressed first though."

"Do you have any idea what she wants?" The blonde asked. He had a good idea that whatever she wanted, it would only piss him off more.

"Well..." Otoya blushed and scratched the back of his head. "I might know."

"Well?"

"Well..."

After hearing what she wanted it took him seconds to leave, get dressed and appear before her and Tomochika. Otoya arrived a few minutes later, panting. Even though Syo did feel sorry for leaving him in the dust, he wanted to hear it from Haruka, before she changed her mind.

Although, Haruka wouldn't look him in the eyes. Her paler than normal face, looked only at Tomochika. Her arms were tightly crossed around her bust and her lips were in a thin flat line. He waited for her to speak, but it seemed she was thinking about what she wanted to say. So he gave a small cough to get her attention.

"It seems that I might have been a little hasty to debar from leaving. If, and only if, you take both Tomochika and Otoya with you, will I allow you to leave the ship. Stick close to them and do no leave their sight."

"Really?" He was stunned.

"Yes." Her voice was flat, like she didn't like the idea even though it was hers. "Go before I change my mind again."

Syo looked back at Otoya and said with a happy grin. "Where's Ai, maybe He'll want to go too."

"No!" Haruka interrupted. She then cleared her throat. "He and I have things to talk about. When you return you can find us in the observatory."

The blonde frowned. She sounded strange, but he didn't have tie to care. Reaching passed her, he grabbed Tomochika's hand and pulled her away. She didn't say much, as her eyes were glued on Haruka.

"Syo." She childishly called once the three of them were off the ship. "Aren't you going to ask?"

"Ask what?" He didn't look back at her. He just kept pulling her along.

"Why she changed her mind?"

He wanted to roll his eyes, but refrained. "Why did she change her mind?"

"I have no idea." She giggled.

Syo stopped. He allowed her to hit his back when she tried to come to a halt. He turned to face her, confusion clear as day on his face. "She didn't tell you?"

"Not a word." She placed a finger in front of her mouth.

"Ai probably asked her to." Otoya said from behind Tomo. he popped his head out and look at them both with innocent eyes. "She changed her mind after they went walking the streets. And I over heard one of the people talking about a fight."

"How did you-" Syo tried to ask.

"I spent eight years with you. I learned to speak what you speak, and more."

"So." Tomochika chimed in. "You think Haru and Ai got in a fight and to make a point, because with Haru there always has to be a point, Haru let Syo do what he wanted? Sound about right?"

"I'm not sure." Otoya shook his head. "None of the Prindans that heard the fight know Asmeonian, so without being there to translate myself it's hard to know."

"Either way we're here now. Let's make the most of it."

"Yeah." Syo smiled.

After a little while of walking Tomo was the one to say what was on every one's mind. But her joking voice did carry a note of seriousness. "No wonder Haru didn't want you coming out here alone. You look just like all the other's here."

"No, if you look close enough, they all have their differences." Otoya explained before Syo could. "Besides, from what I hear It's very common to have blonde hair and blue eyes on Prinda."

"Wow, you sure do know a lot, kitty." Syo said teasingly.

"But, not everyone has amazing senses. How does everyone tell each other a part from their family members?" Tomo put a finger on her chin, like she was thinking hard about it.

"They just know." Syo said quietly watching the crowd. He could see younger people walking by. A nearby school had probably just let out. But one face. He would never forget that one face. He turned abruptly. "I'm done here. Let's go back."

"But Syo!" Tomo whined. "Why?"

"Haru's right." He closed his eyes, wishing he had a hood to pull over his head. He should have asked to borrow Ai's jacket, but how was he supposed to know. "I don't like Prinda very much either. Let's go."

Otoya let his gaze linger on the crowd, before following suit and taking off after the other two.

* * *

"Syo." The red haired woman called to him. He wasn't sure how she knew it was him, because she was looking down at Prinda. Her golden eyes just shades ligher than the bronze grass twenty feet below them.

"How did you know it was me?" He asked. It wasn't the real question he wanted to ask, but it would do for a start.

"A mother knows which of her sons is going to ask her something." She said kindly, her head turned to him. "Come here."

"You knew I'd be coming?"

"Of course. It probably surprised you I let you leave after being so cruel this morning. You should know, I had your best interests in mind."

"I know." He walked down the metal steps onto the glass. "I get it."

She stretched out an arm he came forward. She pulled him in by the shoulder and patted his head with her other hand. "Look down and tell me what you see."

He gave her a quizzical glance. "I see Prinda's bronze grass."

"What else?"

'Uh... People working on the sky docks?"

"And?" She pressed. "Anything else?"

"No?" He asked.

"You can't fool me forever. Just answer honestly."

He paused. Syo knew the answer she was looking for. So in a hushed voice he allowed himself to say it. "Home."

She tensed. "Don't you ever dream about going back? If you wanted this would be the perfect time."

"No way!" He shouted, throwing her arm off his shoulder. "I love it here. You and Tomo and Otoya and everyone else. Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Haruka could hear his choke on a sob, but his eyes remained dry. "Of course not. It's just, if you wanted you could leave. I wouldn't blame you."

"But I want to stay. This is my home now." He looked at her, blinking back tears to show her that he is strong. "Why are you doing this? Is it because of something Ai said?"

"What? No." She looked stunned that he even knew about that. "Ai just reminded me that there is something I want to do. And If that something were to make you see me as a horrible person, I don't want that."

He gave her a small sad smile. "But you're the best. Everyday I'm glad that I can be part of this ship. So you go tell Ai, no matter what you do, I'll never look at you differently."

"Sure." She smiled. "I'm going to take a break, you can stay here, if you want. I want to give you a chance I never did eight years again and let you say good bye to this place."

"It's nothing special. He laughed. "Turns out, I don't like Prinda much either."

"Have fun." Haruka gave him one last pat on the head before leaving. She then mumbled to herself, in such a low voice, Syo wasn't sure it actually was spoken. "I guess he was right."

Closing his eyes, Syo listened to her heels clanking against the floor, a sound that had somehow become comforting to him, growing fainter and fainter. he released a sigh, letting all of his frustrations and sorrows go.

"You always do that you know."

"AHHH!" Syo screamed, jumping away from Otoy's voice. When he opened his eyes, the red head, who only hand pants on and the rest of his attire in his arms, was standing next to where he had been looking startled. "When did you get here?"

"When Mama left I came in to see how you were doing."

Syo placed a hand over his chest. "Next time say something! I thought you were going to give me a heart attack."

"Sorry." Otoya said sheepishly. "So?"

"So, what?"

"How are you doing?"

"Fine?" Syo eyed him. "Why?"

Otoya dragged the heel of his bare foot across the glass. "You don't talk about the other Syo very often. It must have been weird to see him like that."

"You noticed?"

The redhead gave him a toothy grin. "Call it my feline senses." His tone turned more serious. "Shouldn't you have called out to him?"

"Why?" Syo lowered himself so he could sit. "So I could ruin his life? I could imagine it now. 'Oh hi Kaoru, remember me your twin? Well one night I got abducted but the person who did that brought me back. I know it's been eight years but here I am. By the ways How's mom?' That would be a disaster."

"Twin?" Otoya shook his head. "But still what if he was worried about you? You still have time."

"That's not my life anymore." Syo said. "I willingly gave it up. Besides, if you saw the same person I did, you saw that smile. He's happy now. I don't want to mess that up. who knows, maybe it's for the best."

"I get it." Otoya flopped down, he didn't even wince as his head made contact with the floor. "I had a brother too. So I understand that when you see them happy you don't want to ruin it. You don't want to interfere. But later you won't feel that way. You'll wish you had said something, anything."

"You didn't say anything either?"

"I knew Cecil would find his way in life. I just wish I would have told him that I'm still here, I'm okay, and he doesn't have to worry about me anymore."

"When did you last see him?" Syo asked, feeling a little guilty.

"Long before I met Haruka." His red eyes looked at the ceiling. "I wish this whole room was made of glass, not just the front and the floor. I wonder what it's like to lay with the stars above and under you."

"Otoya..." Syo hesitated. He waited for the redhead to look at him. "If you.. If we ever find Cecil, I'll be with you so you can tell him you're fine."

They both felt the ship jerk into motion. "If you ever find Kaoru again, I've always got your back."

Syo placed his hands on the glass and looked down. Thirty, fourty, fifty, sixty feet away. The bronze grass was to far for him to see. All that could be seen was white clouds and be begins of the stratosphere. "Thanks Otoya."


	11. Part 2 Chapter 6

**_Google facts at it's finest. I am not an astronaut, I don't expect half of the stuff I write to be correct in anyway, but I did look some stuff up to make it more.. realistic(?)_**

 ** _Last chapter was long, this one (sadly) isn't as long._**

 ** _Thank you Crystalized Flowers For reviewing. I'll admit sometimes I have a hard time putting what I see in my head into words and it is one of the things I try hard to work on._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _5973/5974_

He could see it in the distance. The blue and orange familiar swirl of the Milky Way. Ai had always been entranced my the orange glow of the sun even if he knew that the sun the earth used was on the edge of that colorful orange. It still made him feel warm. That loving warmth. He could close his cyan eyes to the world outside the observation room and still be able to see it clearly. His hand went slack, as he allowed himself to relax. Is bag, fell from his shoulder and met the floor below with a small thud.

Eyes shot open as he bent down to pick it up. Protectively he held it against his chest. Heart beating frantically as he checked the contents inside.

His eyes, back to their neutral, emotionless, state glare out the window. ' _They were entering from the Monoceros ring? How reckless.'_ The pale teen thought. _'There are much safer ways than going in through that cluster of stars. It's complex, and to try to get through all three layers..'_

His mind trailed off. It didn't matter. The cold depths of space were something he knew he could survive, even if it was just him alone. Nuzzling the brown pack up to his face, he let out a quiet sigh. "Just a little while longer and you'll be home."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tomo was the only person who dared to voice the question. For anyone but her it would have been treason. But she was Tomochika, Haruka's most precious person. There was no way that the short tempered redhead would throw her off the ship.

"Have I even been wrong before?" She asked with a smirk, making the crew (though it was mostly men in the control room) sigh in relieve.

"I can't count the number of times you've been wrong." The taller woman shouted, making everyone else in the room tense up again.

This back and forth had been going on for too long. One of the men, Masato who manned the navigation system, spoke up. "I believe we are of the fastest course, which was the captain's wish. If we go in at a forty-five degree angle we should be able to pass all three rings of the fragmented stars without problem. In theory..." The last part was added quietly.

"In theory?" Tomo shouted.

"If you keep being loud I'll have you escorted to your room." Haruka said harshly. "And it's only a theory provided by one of the most brilliant minds from this side of the Milky Way. Aine Kisaragi was far to advanced to be an earthling, but he was the best in his field."

"Who?" Tomo asked voicing, yet again, the question on everyone's mind.

"He was a genus from earth, many years ago. His theories proved that earthlings had the potential to be as innovative as Lenus and Prinda." She said sadly. "But one day he was just gone, and with him the hopes of earthling discovering there are far more intelligent life forms. Some say he took a space ship from the Russian Federal Space Agency, and hasn't been seen since."

"You know a lot about him." Masato commented plainly before making his way back to his seat, in front of the sleek screen and button panel.

"He was my idol growing up." Haruka blushed.

"You never mentioned anything about him to me." Her best friend pouted with her arms crossed.

"I didn't think you would find him interesting." Haruka said honestly. "I have another idol too, if you must hear about him. He's more of a myth though."

"No." Tomo childishly shook her head. "I don't care."

"Fine then. Go find Ai for me." She shooed the other away.

That seemed to make Tomo smile for some reason. She skipped off to find their passenger. Moments after she left eh ship gave a violent shake, throwing some of the workers from their chairs.

"What was that?" She yelled to Masato.

"Just hit a star." He rubbed his head getting back to his seat.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again." She said

"Yes captain."

* * *

Ai was the first one out after they landed. He had originally given them the location of the last place he remembered but they somehow managed to be a few miles off course (which may have been for the best, a giant ship landing in the middle of a city wasn't something Haruka wanted to deal with). He took in the greenery of the untouched land. Fuji mountain wasn't too far away (being just across the small body of water and Aokigahara), but still hard for him to see. The blue skies. How he missed it.

The rest weren't as happy as he was. Haruka, although she was stunned that her scientist's idea for traveling to the Milky Way worked, had to punish her crew, because they hit many, many, stars. Which inevitably damaged her ship. Her beautiful ship had burn marks scorched onto the side of the metal exterior. She started shouting orders the moment she walked off and saw her baby in such a state.

"And the next person to see Masato..." She gritted her teeth. "Tell him he's dead."

"What the heck?" Syo shrieked the moment he stepped off the ship. sure he had seen planets with green grass before, but never a field of the stuff. Most places that he went to were in a porting town, where was little of the greenery to see. It was Otoya and Tomochika who had forced him off the ship's stairs. "I don't want to touch it!"

"It's just grass." Otoya laughed.

"It's something new!" Tomo giggled.

"I don't like either one of those things." He yelled.

But those two knew he was lying. So the continued to pull at him until they all fell to the ground laughing.

"I don't have time to waste here." Ai said with a disapproving look. "Captain please come with me. We'll be back soon."

'Why me?" She asked looking in his direction to see that he was already walking away from her. She balled her hands into fists before talking off after him. "I didn't even say yes. I have things to do, you know!"

He turned back to her. "It will be worth it, I promise." Then he continued on, looking straight ahead, with his backpack pulled lovingly under his arm.

"It better be." She muttered.

After an hour and a half of walking, and Haruka's bitching, they arrived in a small town. Haruka could help but to look at the beauty in front of her. There were so many colors that she had never seen. Green dragonflies buzzed by, the brown bark of the tree had small little bulbs with little hints of a delicate baby pink.

"It's so beautiful here." She said.

"I used to think that too." Ai retorted quietly. "But on earth things seem to die faster than where I come from."

"Where is that again?" She asked, hoping to catch him in the lie.

But he looked at her with cold eyes and spoke in a smooth voice. "I've already told you."

"Right." She rolled her golden eyes at him. "Where are we going?"

The emotionless boy couldn't help but to laugh. "Now you ask? It's doesn't matter. We're here."

Haruka looked around. "Here?" Her eyes only saw road and gray stone steps.

"Yes." He held out his hand to her. "I want to drop something off here."

"Really?"

Talking came from the back ground. A group of, five or six, younger looking earthlings made their way over. One of them even pointed at Haruka. "Nagi, you have company."

The one in the middle looked passed Haruka. "Ai!" His gray eyes looked excited, much in a way that could remind the redhead of Syo or Tomo, but not quite. More like how Otoya looked at her, with love and admiration.

"Nagi." He greeted coldly.

The salmon haired boy broke away from his friends with a short wave and a nicely said 'good bye'. He ran up to the pale teen, and tackled him into a hug. "Where's Uncle Aine?"

Ai shrugged at his words. But Haruka didn't miss that name. The name of someone she admired. The name of someone who was unhappy with where he was so he left. Ai's voice was the only thing that brought her back from her thoughts. "Where's your dad?"

Nagi huffed. "He's being a jerk."

Ai scowled. "Where exactly is he being a jerk at?"

"He's probably in the garden. That's where he always is when I get home from school."

"Thanks." The older one didn't sound thankful. He rudely turned his back on the kid that seemed to adore him, and started his ascent. Haruka followed him, feeling bad for the kid that slowly trailed after them.

"You could be nicer." She scolded him.

"The same could be said to you, wouldn't you say?"

"Mind you're own business." She frowned. He had gotten her, and she knew it. But she was harsh on Syo out of love. She wanted him to grow up to be a strong person, even if he wasn't really her son. And she was hard on Tomo sometimes too, but that was because the other redhead was a grown woman and never acted like it. Sometimes she just needed to be put in check.

"Reiji!" Ai called out reaching the top of the steps.

Haruka reached the top and held in a gasp. It looked like an old temple, but it sparkled as if it were cleaned with love every day. The gray foot stones were even cleared of any specs of dirt. And before her, stood a brunette man. His blue jeans and tee-shirt not quite matting the imagine the temple was giving off, but he had kind gray eyes.

"Welcome home Ai."

"Hey." He said with no emotion.

"And who is this?" He turned to her.

"I'm-"

"Don't listen to her, she's a liar."

"I haven't said anything yet!" Haruka yelled at him.

"No, but you would have lied."

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"Last time you opened your mouth." He said cruelly.

Reiji looked between the both of them, he could see Haruka's cheeks grow redder and redder with each passing moment. He couldn't help but to double over in laughter. Finally when he was done, wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked back at them to see them both staring at him. "What are you doing here, Ai? And where is your papa?"

Ai's face twisted. He pulled his backpack over to his side and opened it for the brunette to look in. "Here."

Gray eyes met with a silvery cylinder shaped object. "I see."

"I promised to bring him back to earth. Promise fulfilled." He stated it like a fact.

Haruka's eyes widened in realization. So that's why he wanted to get to this little planet so badly. Why he would risk pissing her off, when he knew exactly what kind of person she was. "Your dad's an earthling? I thought you said you from Skyria."

"Skyria Plyke?" Reiji said sounding surprised. "Heavens no. Aine picked him up on M-"

"Reiji!" Ai growled in a low voice.

"You keep saying Aine. Could you possibly mean?" She didn't finish.

"Aine Kisaragi." The salmon haired boy said. Haruka jumped. She had completely forgotten about him. "Everyone here called him a lunatic, but really he was the smartest person ever."

"So he's finally gone." Reiji waited until Ai lifted the urn from his bag and placed it into the earthling's hands. "The cause?"

"Unknown." Ai mumbled. The cyan haired boy looked at Haruka. "I have finished what I came here to do. I shall now take you up on your offer."

Haruka smiled. "Good."

"Ai!" Reiji said, worry apparent in his voice. "There are somethings I want to talk to you about."

"Captain, please leave first. I will return shortly."

She nodded. "Hurry up. I won't wait long."

She was lying. Ai knew that. Haruka knew that he knew. Maybe he was right, maybe she was a liar.

"Ai." Reiji waited until she had descended the stairs enough to no be see anymore. "You know you are always welcome here."

"I know." He said, as if it were a fact.

"You don't have to travel with her."

"But I want to."

"Why?" Nagi asked. "Why go with her? We are your family. You were lucky enough to find a fool that would bring you to earth. Just stay with us."

"I like the ship she has. The sights I've seen traveling with her."

"Ai." Reiji closed the distance between them, and forcing the teen into a hug. "We wouldn't mind you staying with us. Please consider it."

"I have." He wiggled out of the awkward show of affection. "But I'm afraid I have to pass."

"Why?" Nagi choked on his words. "You said she's a liar. Why stay?"

"It doesn't matter if she lied, if I already knew the truth." He said in a matter-of-fact like tone. "Besides, I'm sure that Haruka is the only person alive that can show me the things I want to see. From that I can learn."

"Ahhh." Reiji nodded, holding the urn close. "You're so much like your papa, it's hard to believe you two aren't related."

"Whatever." Nagi shrugged. "You can leave just like he did. I don't want you to ever come back!" The pink haired boy ran to the entrance of their, no, his home. It was no longer a place Ai could think of as home.

"Go." Reiji smiled. "I'll calm him down. and should you ever be in the Milky Way again, you are free to stop by."

"Thank you for understanding." Ai waved good bye at Reiji, staying only to watch the brunette take the silver urn and take off after the sad twelve year old boy, before climbing down the gray stone steps to met up with the short fused, petite, red haired, captain.

 _Part II_

 _Trace the Universe_

 _End_


	12. Part 3 Chapter 1

**_Chaotic_**

 _Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _?_

 _The deep rich blue grass felt like spikes beneath his paws. Pads grazed over the sharp spikes, making him want to yelp. The sky, a vibrant golden, lit up with the sky-flowers. They only ever meant bad things. Though the spray of colorful reds and greens stood out, making the sky far more gorgeous that it already was, Otoya knew that those were a warning. Because life on Xetune was treacherous and hard. Even the most beautiful things could be a ominous sign of impending doom._

 _His white fur slowly shrunk back into his sun-kissed skin. The five year old Otoya lifted himself off the ground, not ashamed of his lack of clothing. Xetune was full of changelings, so unlike most planets, they didn't much care for pieces of fabric to cover themselves with. Such things would be considered shameful. His parents had taught him that, even at his young age, that hiding one's self would show weakness, and a possible mate would run in the opposite direction if they thought that their partner had something wrong with them that could be passed down to their offspring._

 _"Cecil?" He called out, taking his mind off of the lack of anything to protect him from the wind, not that it was cold or had a chill to it. His red eyed skimming the blue hill. Placing a hand to his brow, he looked around again. There seemed to be no sign of his brother. His mother would be furious. Since the rest of Otoya's litter had died of disease and Cecil was an only born kit, their mother had grown far too over protective. Their father, on the other hand, wanted them to play like normal kits and have fun outside under the pale gold sun._

 _"Cecil?" He called one more time, looking around for the black, kitten-like, creature._

 _The red haired boy frowned. Sky-flowers were blooming and his brother was nowhere to be found. He wished that he had_ _paid a bit more attention when his mother was explaining the flower coloring to him. Green definitely meant poachers, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what the red stood for. And was the district he was in being hit? He lived in the Holliander district, also know as district 567. It was far from any of the town districts, in fact it was more of a farming community._

 _"What do I do?" The young kit asked himself. "I thought Cecil was right behind me. I can't tell Mama that, she would kill me."_

 _He began to pace. Sharp glass like grass sticking into his human form's flesh. Flowers still blooming in the sky overhead. How could he have lost his brother? Normally he and Cecil were so careful. They didn't want to give their mother an excuse to keep them inside. They loved running around through the fields, feeling the warm glow of the sun on their backs, the sweet lavender smelling wind through their fur._

 _"Maybe if I back track." The changeling said aloud. "He probably just got distracted."_

 _Otoya couldn't help but to feel like something was wrong. There was a knot in his gut telling him not to go back. Just to go straight home. Placing his hands on the ground, he willed himself into his cat-like form. He'd rather be in this form, it was more comfortable._

 _He pushed off, running back down the hill. His red eyes closed as he listened to the flowers blooming in the sky._

 _Boom, boom, boom_

* * *

 _5974_

Otoya gasped shooting straight up from his sleeping position. He normally slept in his kit form, but after being trapped in it for so long, he had wanted to try sleeping as a human.

For once he was glad he wasn't sleeping with Syo. Not that he wasn't sleeping in the their shared room, but he was used to sleeping whenever he wanted. Sometimes he slept at night with Syo, but on days like this one, he had spent the entire night laying in the observation room just watching and waiting.

"It's been so long since I dreamt of that place." He wiped the sweat from his brow. "So why now?"

Otoya stretched his head, pushing himself off his bed, and headed to the dresser. He grabbed some black shorts and the first tee-shirt he could find, which turned out to be just a plain white one.

Once dressed he started to wonder around aimlessly, not knowing exactly where Syo had gone. They weren't at a port, but still, the ship was huge, and searching each room would be a pain.

"Oh, you're up?" Tomochika said, walking out of her room in just her yellow negligee. "I thought you were sleeping in too."

"Good morning Tomo-nee." He nodded his head to her.

"Just Tomo." She scowled.

"Tomo." He repeated like a child learning a new word.

"Are you looking for Syo? I think he went to the cafeteria with Ai." She gave a small laugh. "And I thought he had given up on making friends with Ai after that whole little spat."

The red haired teen shook his head. "I was just prowling."

"Then how about you prowl around with me kitty?" She got the brightest smile on her face and grabbed his hand. "Let's go to all the places I haven't been on the ship lately."

"Like?" He blinked at her.

"We have three whole rooms dedicated to my wardrobe." She laughed. "I've been looking for a very special dress for a while. Now you can help me."

When he frowned at her, she widened her eyes in feigned hurt and disbelief. he stammered. "But I-I.."

"You're not doing anything, right?"

"Well... I..."

"Great!" She yanked on his arm, forcing him to follow her even though she hadn't given him much of a chance to answer her. She wasn't really asking anyways. She was going to force him to do what she wanted and there were no two ways about it. "All you have to do is help me look. It won't be hard. I promise."

* * *

 _Otoya halted. He could see the long legs of a wolf. They didn't normally come into kit territory. In fact, there were laws against it. That must have been what the sky-flowers were warning the people about._

 _'Oh no." He gasped internally. 'What if they already have Cecil?'_

 _He stopped, closing his eyes, in a panic. he didn't know what to do. How cold be, a mere kit (a baby kit at that), appose them? And where were the others? Wolves always hunted in packs. He needed to be careful._

 _He crouched down in the grass and opened his eyes. It was easy, just like the silly games he always played with his little brother. All he needed to do was sneak around the single wolf, while on the look for the others, find his brother, and get home. No problem. He could totally do that._

 _"Found you." he heard the older man's voice sneer at him._

 _He didn't want to look up, but he didn't need to. He could see the human shaped shadow looming over him._

 _"Kit, change back for me or have you're head removed."_

 _He did as commanded. His back to the man, who probably had a knife to him. Otoya shivered. Finding his voice he asked. "Who are you?"_

 _"Raging. Raging Otori." The man, Otori, told him. "And you are an Ittoki, correct? How luck for me."_

 _"Lucky?"_

 _"Tell me where you're old man is hiding." He licked his lips_ _hungrily. "And I just might let you live to see another day."_

 _"No." Otoya didn't move. He didn't understand what the man wanted with his dad, but he was a wolf. Wolves were always bad._

 _"I heard all your litter mates died. You're the only one your dear mother has left. Wouldn't she be sad if her last little kit died?"_

 _He wanted to sigh in relief. This man didn't know about Cecil. If he thought that Otoya was the only one left then there was no way... Unless._

 _Unless he had already killed Cecil. No, no. That couldn't be it. He had said litter mates. Cecil was from the litter after him. In fact it was hard to even call his birth part of a litter._

 _"No." Otoya repeated._

 _"Stubborn. I like that." Otori grinned. Otoya wasn't sure how how he knew the man was grinning but he did know. "You know I think I'll do something worse than killing you. But you're so small you'll probably never remember."_

* * *

"Otoya! Otoya wake up!" Tomochika whined. She shoved a dress over his face.

He didn't even realize that he had curled up on a pile of dress and fallen asleep. He never knew that frills and such could be so comfy to sleep on. He almost wanted to ask her if he could keep some for himself.

With a yawn, and a rub to his ruby eyes, he sleepily looked at her. "Did you find it?"

"I did." She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. Just finding a dress could make her so enthusiastic. It was unreal.

"Let me see."

She held it up in front of her, though it dragged on the ground a bit since she didn't want to get up. Otoya couldn't blame her, sitting on her legs for hours on end looking for the dress had to have made her legs fall asleep.

Otoya's eyes widened as he looked at it. It was a pale yellow. Not quite gold, but not bright like the earth sun. Three layers altering between frill and silk seemed a little excessive, but who was he to judge. Though it looked old and only had one strap, it looked loved. And small? Far to small for Tomochika to wear.

"Is that Mama's?" He asked. seconds after the words left his mouth he realized how stupid it sounded. Haruka didn't wear yellow or such frilly dresses. She made business woman look sloppy.

"It was." She looked at it fondly. "The most beautiful thing you'd ever see, but she won't wear it anymore."

"She used to wear dresses?" He asked faking how shocked he was.

"Yup." She grinned. "And this one was my favorite."

"I want to see her in it."

Tomochika gasped. "We should make her wear it in the observatory. Just the three of us. Like a little ball."

Otoya's eyes shined with excitement. "I've never been to a ball before." He shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. "I've never actually danced."

"No way!"

"Never."

"That's it. This will definitely happen. I promise. But now I have to find something to wear too. Oh and something for you."

"Really?" Otoya felt happy.

* * *

 _"Change back kit." Otori ordered him._

 _"I'd rather die." Otoya felt the prickle of the grass under his feet. It wasn't like he had given up on looking for a way out of the situation he had somehow managed to get himself into. He couldn't give up. He still didn't know if Cecil was okay. And what did this man want with his father. He stuck his nose out to smell the lavender again. He wondered if he died, would he miss the smell of the purple flower._

 _"Otoya..."_

"Otoya!" Tomochika tossed his a plain black tux. "Jeez, you're such a lazy cat."

He didn't want to change back to retort to her. He wanted to fall back asleep. He wanted to go back to that place. He wanted to make sure that Cecil was still okay. Was he? He couldn't really what happened next. But he had to shift back to his human form anyways.

And when he did, Tomo screamed.

"AHH! Couldn't you have waited?" She shrieked turning away from him with a face redder than her hair.

"Why?"

"It's inappropriate." She cleared her throat. "I'm a woman and you're a boy."

"So?" He blinked.

"I'm also older than you."

"Then you should understand."

She sighed. "I feel like we've had this conversation a million times since that collar came off."

He tilted his head. "Only three times."

"UGH!" She yelled again. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Put that on and come to the observatory. Gosh I can't even deal with this right now."

Frowning, he shoved his arms into the shirt and legs into the pants. He couldn't understand her normal traditions. She had walked out of her room almost naked and sifted through her wardobe room like that. that hadn't been a problem, but him changing back was an issue? He couldn't understand her logic.

Syo, who was reading a book he had apparently gotten for the cyan haired teen, didn't even give him a strange look like Otoya thought he should have. He had just remained calmly on his bed, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Otoya could take it anymore. "Aren't you going to ask?"

"Nope." He flipped the page.

"Why not?"

"I heard from Haruka."

Otoya held in his next question, unsure if he really wanted to know. Was Haruka upset about it? Did she complain a lot? If she didn't want to she could have said no.

"Okay." Otoya said blankly as he left.

For all he cared it could have just been him and Tomo. But he did really want to see the side of Haruka that no one has seen in years. He wanted to bring that side out again. He wanted that girly, frill wearing, dancing side of her to show just for him. Was that so wrong? Or did she just hate that side of herself so much that she never wanted anyone else to see it ever again?

"Mama?" He called entering the room.

Before his every eyes she stood. But that wasn't the woman who had saved him. She looked like a delicate flower. So fragile and easily broken. For the first time in his life, she saw Haruka. The Haru she hide away behind the tough exterior and commanding voice. Behind the sharp business suits or just plan pants, and the inch high shoes. Behind the scowl there was still a smile.

She was standing on the glass, just like always because it was her favorite place in all the galaxies, her back to him. The yellow one strap dress fit her perfectly. She probably hadn't grown since the last time that she had worn it, Otoya highly doubt that she or Tomo were good with a needle. Her red hair reached to her shoulders, so only a small section of her pale back was showing, but still Otoya thought he spotted something black peaking out from just below where the dress rested. Turning, she looked at him with those sun-like orbs of hers.

"Otoya." She extended her hand with a warm and loving smile. "Tomo told me you've never danced. That's a shame."

Casually making his way down to her, he couldn't stop the words from flowing out of his mouth. "You look so cute. Why don't you ever wear dresses?"

He had expected her to lash out. To yell at him, but she didn't. She laughed. "It's hard to look cute and intimidating at the same time. I need everyone to fear me. Fear is the best way to get what you want."

"But everyone here loves you."

She shook her head at him, like he had said something unthinkable. "You can grow to love people. That's all that has happened here."

He took her hand and she placed one on her side and the other on her shoulder for him. He had never realized how much taller he was. If he leaned over he could probably rest his chin on her head. Naturally if he did there would be hell to pay.

His foot hit her leg first making her chuckle. "You know, I used to be good at this. I wonder what happen to all those hours I was forced to spend practicing."

"I want to know more about your life before this." Otoya said. He was generally curious about what her life had been like. If it had been the other way around he would have answered any of her questions in a heartbeat.

But just like that, the fun and happy atmosphere was gone. Haruka pulled away and for the first time Otoya thought he saw a pained look on her face. She turned away from, back to the stars. Back to her favorite place.

And for a mere moment, Otoya had seen the real Haruka. The woman beneath the facades and cruelty. He had seen the girl who had once wanted nothing more than to leave Asmeon. The delicate, the loving, the real Haruka. And with one simple statement it was gone. Everything was gone. He wanted to find the words to make it right. Haruka, his savoir, he wanted to know so much. More than years of living with her had offered, and he lost his chance.

He stood behind her, dishearten, when she cleared her throat. "Good night, Otoya, you can return to your room now."

It had taken all of a few minutes to get back to the room he shared with Syo. He saw the blonde and Tomo wait for him on the bed, giddy with excitement. But he didn't feel like sharing. If Tomochika had kept her word and showed up instead of hanging out with Syo would things have gone differently? Probably not.

"So?" Tomo smiled.

"Did you have fun?" Syo looked on at his friend excited for the stories he thought Otoya had pried from the secretive redhead.

"Uuuuh." Otoya flopped down on the bed and didn't speak for the rest of the night.


	13. Part 3 Chapter 2

_Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _5974_

 _He sucked in air through his nose and with a gasp he realized he was in human form. Otoya shivered. Not only was he in his fleshy, almost hairless form, but he was dressed in a long white shirt that was five sizes to big for him. He also knew that he was chained to something. He could feel the leather rub against him skin leaving his neck red and raw. The chain attached jingled with every small movement he made. The only thing that made him feel safe was the warm tingling from the blue grass that pricked at his side._

 _He opened one red eye. He could see a human, dressed in strangely printed purple and black stripes. The gray hat he wore sat on top of his neatly combed brown hair. And he held a weird silvery box up to his ear while he chattered away, seemingly to himself._

 _"-Only one. No I-"_

 _Otoya closed his eye. Smelling the air, he tried to make sure that Cecil wasn't around. But no such luck. His senses had weakened. Grinding his, so so sharp, teeth together, he tried to keep from moving. It was obvious that the man before him thought he was sleeping. If only he could figure a way out of the chains then he could easily lose this guy and run back home._

 _"-Just have to find their den."_

 _No, he couldn't do that. If Otoya tried to escape him, the man would surely follow him back to his home. And he would find whatever it was he was looking for._

 _Otoya felt a lump in his throat to big to just swallow it down. No, he wouldn't, but he could already feel the tears welling up. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see his mother and father and brother again. He didn't want to be trapped by a madman. Why was this happening to him? He had never done anything wrong. He'd always eaten his vegetables, no matter how gross they were._

 _And just like that, he couldn't hold it back anymore. The liquid that that was on the verge of spilling flowed forth. He whimpered and curled himself into a ball. He was scared. He was tired of pretending to be brave. Otoya had prepared himself for death not long ago, in order to keep Cecil from hard, but the longer he had to wait for the inevitable to happen the more anxious he became. Would it hurt? Would he suffer?_

 _"I don't want to die." He found himself whispering and hoping that only the wind would hear him quietly sob and not the man chatting just a few feet away._

Otoya woke up groggy. He still felt tired. He wasn't sure how late it was, but it had to be before dawn because Syo was still asleep on the other side of the room. With that peaceful look on his face, Otoya couldn't help but to wonder what he was dreaming about. To look so happy, so carefree. he wanted a dream that would make him feel like that.

So instead of doing the rational thing, and just going back to sleep, he willed himself into his once favorite form and stealthily crept over to the sleeping blonde's bed. Jumping up, he snuggled in close, hoping that the other teen could chase all his bad dreams away, and blissfully fell to sleep.

* * *

"I haven't see Ai all day." Haruka grumbled at just passed noon. Her mood was worse that it had been all year, even if the year had just begun. The dark bags below her eyes were probably hints to what had caused her grumpy attitude. The only thing about her that wasn't somewhat disheveled was the ever present frown she wore. "Whoever finds him first gets a raise."

That made Syo raise a blonde eyebrow at her. He and Tomochika were standing with arms linked, and had been talking to one another before Haruka's sudden outburst. "I don't get paid."

She looked crossly at him and repeated. "Whoever finds him gets a raise. What is a raise from zero, Syo?"

"More than enough." He said. His eyes looked on greedily seeing the other crew's men talking. "Let's tag team this Tomo."

"Sounds like fun." She smiled brightly.

"Otoya." Syo called to him. "You come too."

The redhead merely looked up from the place on the floor he had taken next to, the severely overworked, Masato. He didn't want to disagree with Syo. After all, the blonde hadn't totally freaked out when he woke up to find Otoya in his bed next to him, in fact he acted very casual about it. Perks of having a twin is what Otoya had chalked it up too.

Otoya stood from his spot, giving a nod to Masato as he left, and scurried over to Syo. He didn't know what the blonde was thinking, but he could tell that he wanted whatever money Haruka would trow at him for finding Ai.

"Where do we start looking?"

"The most obvious place." Syo answered Otoya with a smirk.

So that's where they went. First stop was his room. As one might have expected, he wasn't there. But his room was very clean and dark.

"Who keeps there room that clean?" Tomo blurted out while looking in behind both boys.

They both looked at her with the same sympathetic look, as if understanding Haruka's struggle. "Me."

She blinked at them. "What kind of teenagers are you two?"

"Well," Otoya went to answer. "I'm actually-"

"It doesn't matter." She interrupted. "To the next place."

She walked on ahead of them, leaving both of them dumbfounded at how childish she really could be. Then again it made sense, in Otoya's mind, why she need multiple rooms as her closets. But at least she wasn't running around in her sleep-wear today.

* * *

The trio wasn't the first to find him. That didn't really surprise Tomo and Otoya, but it did seem to make Syo upset. By the time they walked to their second choice in hiding places, Haruka was already there. Her voice could be heard echoing out of the observatory.

"Are you an idiot?" She yelled as the others joined her.

"I'm not." He answered. "It just never seemed like a good time."

"Anytime would have been a good time." She scowled. Her hands on her silver jacket covered hips. Her silver jacket and the white shirt underneath were complemented nicely by the skin tight black pants. If not for how her face twisted in anger, Otoya and Syo might have dared to call her cute. But looked more like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Syo was the first to voice the question. "What's going on?"

"This idiot." She pointed to him. "Says he need to go home."

"Oh!" Tomo smiled. "Skyria Plyke is always nice this time of year. Can we go Haru?"

"Actually." Ai said with a grimace. "I lied about that."

"And you call me a liar." Haruka looked ready to punch him. Frustrated she sighed and turned to the rest. "But he won't tell me where to drop him off."

"That is none of you're concern." He said. "Drop me off wherever and I'll get myself home and I'll meet you back at Skyria in a few months."

"Why not just let us take you?" Otoya tilted his head in confusion. He was part of the crew now. He was dead wrong if he thought that Haruka was going to let him go without a fight. She's kick, scream, and play dirty if it meant that she was going to get her way.

"Well.. I..."

"Yeah." The short redhead said crossing her arms and looking up at him. "Tell them the same reason you told me."

He glared at her. "There is a special crystal that grows on my planet. I want to get it."

Haruka didn't look satisfied. "And that's all he would tell me."

"Why do you want it?" Tomochika asked, being completely oblivious to the darkening mood of the room.

"It's a nice thing to have." He said to her, but when she just blinked at him he continued. "And it can come in handy. I guarantee that Haruka could sell them and make a killing."

"Well what are they for?" Syo asked. Sure they could be useful, but the blonde had a point. Why go who-knows-where for something as small as a crystal.

Ai looked uncomfortable. A small blush colored his cheeks. "They're.. um... used for food, sort of."

"Food?!" The other four looked at him their jaws dropping.

Haruka was the first to regain her composer. "You want to go home for food?"

'Yes." He gave her a straight-faced answer.

"And you don't want to tell us where 'home' is?"

"Correct."

"I can't help you then."

Watching Ai bit his lip, Tomo spoke up. "Why don't you just tell us the direction to go in. If you give us something vague we won't be able to figure it out, and we can do business at another planet close by."

Her idea sounded doable. But sadly for them it wouldn't work. "It's not close to anywhere."

"I'm tire of this bullshit runaround." Haruka bellowed. "Tell me where to go, or forget you're little keepsake."

Syo looked at Ai. He looked as if he were contemplating his options. "Fine." He finally said after a moment of deep thought. "We're going to the Obsidian Abyss."

Haruka shook her head, but it was Otoya who spoke. "There's nothing around there at all. From what I understand that place doesn't have a sun and can't even support life."

Syo found himself speaking in Ai's defense. "Just because no one has found proof of life doesn't mean there isn't any, right?"

Otoya looked at the floor. "I guess."

* * *

Ai wondered if the stars always looked so bright. He adored watching them from Haruka's observation room. He could completely understand how this could be her favorite part of the ship. It made everything else feel so small. It was easy to remember that he was just a spec of stardust among the outer most reaches of space, and his problems were even smaller than him. But when he looked through that glass and gazed among the stars everything, worries, problems, past, and future all faded away. There was nothing but the ever dark space.

He could see the four rings of Helio-Hal as they passed the large green planet. It's six moons were passed shortly after, and then the next planet and it's moons, until they reached the place in the Asteria Nebula that didn't have planets or life. The part that nobody cared about. The outer reaches where the sun's rays barely hit enough to make an hour's worth of daytime. Every galaxy had a place like this. The place to far from the rest where there either was no planets or life from them had died out.

The Gray-Zone.

Ai hated that term.

"Hey."

The cyan haired teen turned, startled that he didn't hear the female sneak up behind him. Once he realized it was just Tomochika again, he gave her a wave and turned back to the stars.

"You know, you remind me of Haru when you stand and look out the window like that."

"Do I?" He unconsciously reached up and touched his hair. Still blue, still tied back the way that his father had always done for him.

"Yeah." Tomo mumbled closing the distance between them, but stopping just a feet away from where he stood. She looked at his back then out to the darkness of space beyond him. "You don't have to be anyone but you in this room. And the view is the best thing ever. Unless.." She added with a raised eyebrow. "you can be among the stars themselves."

"I agree." he simply said.

"I've heard," She pressed him for information. "That there are places so cold that they might as well not be living on a planet. I've heard those people can actually travel among the stars, just by floating wherever for however long they want."

"Wouldn't that be an inconvenience?" He asked, glaring at her reflection in the glass. "Just floating with no control. Sounds like a bad idea to me."

She giggled. "I suppose."

He turned back to her only to notice how close she was to him. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh no, nothing like that." She smiled at him before giving him a strange look with those blood-like eyes of hers. "I was actually just reading a book. Tell me Ai have you ever heard of a salamander?"

He nodded. "Many planets have them since they adapt to their living situation so easily."

She looked absolutely delighted that that he knew what she was talking about. But the way that she eyed him made him nervous. "You remind me of one."

"Excuse me?" He looked at her.

She poked at his chest. "Let me make on thing clear, salamander, this is my hunting grounds."

"What makes you think I want any of your prey?" He asked trying his hardest to make a bored expression. "You're scent is everywhere on this ship."

"Then why did you come to this ship?"

"I needed to get to Earth." He said.

"Why did you come back?"

"Earth is boring, and Haruka is fun to watch."

Tomochika drew her hand back, as if she were going to hit him. "Haru is MINE!" She yelled at him. "Mine you can't have her! Never ever. I will never give her up!"

"What?" He blinked.

And then just like that ,she smiled at him, almost as if their conversation had never even happened. "Well then, I'm off to bed. Oh, but I heard Syo is looking for you. Honestly I though he didn't want to be your friend anymore but I guess I was wrong. If you want to avoid him you should leave. He knows how much you love it in here."

She yawned and strutted away, leaving a very confused Ai in her wake.

* * *

 _Otoya watched the grass sway. Usually he loved it when the wind ran across his body and filled his nose with it's sweet scent, but it didn't smell right. The wind carried the strong and potent smell of oil. If he had any energy left, he would have tried to hold his breath for as long as he could, but he didn't. He was too tired. He hadn't tried to escape. Well he had, just not to go back home._

 _He had tried yanking and pull at the chain around his neck, that bound him to the metal machine on wheels, he had even tried to get away as a kit. But the leather around his neck, which was far to tight in his human form, fit comfortably around the white fur of his neck. Meaning that Otori had known what he was doing when he chained the you kit up. If he had wanted him to lead him back to his home, he was making it awfully hard for poor Otoya to do._

 _"Cecil." He seen his brother in over a day. In fact he wondered if he would ever see him again. Otoya wasn't sure where he, himself, was. He didn't recognize anything in the area._

 _"Oh, kit, you're up." The fashion-impaired man looked back at him from his metal monster._

 _Otoya glared at the man. He hated this Otori guy. "Where are we going?"_

 _"And so he speaks!" The man cried out sarcastically. "To my ship."_

 _"What's a ship?" He didn't mean to say aloud._

 _"it's this magical thing that's going to take you and I off this planet back to the one I'm from."_

 _"Off the planet?" He said both in confusion and fear. What did he mean off the planet? He wasn't sure what was going to happen. Would he be able to find his way back if this man took him to another planet?_

 _"I don't want to leave." He yelled "I don't want to leave, I want to go home!"_

"I don't want to leave." He mumbled half asleep.

"Well if you don't, Haruka will get mad."

Otoya opened one of his red eyes lazily. "Syo?"

"No, I'm the bogyman." Syo laughed at him. He was standing above the bed, leaning down next to Otoya.

With a yawn, Otoya slowly sat up. He had remembered crawling into Syo's bed again, but this time it didn't chase away the bad dreams. "Where are we?"

"Not where Haruka wants us to be." The blonde gulped. "She's been yelling up a storm so I thought I'd grab you before she finds a reason to get mad."

Syo was kind enough to hold out a hand to Otoya, which the redhead took and stood. "How far off track are we?" Otoya wanted to know. The more off track the more pissed he knew Haruka would be.

"Very."

Otoya grinned. "Great." He strolled across the room, back to his side, to grab something to wear.

"By the way," Syo frowned. "new rule. It's fine if you want to sleep with me, but you have to wear something. Just pants is fine but something."

"Sorry." Otoya said sheepishly. He'd never understand their fascination with hiding their bodies. How could they find good mates like that?

Just as Syo had said, Haruka was on a warpath. Everybody that had even the slightest thing wrong got howled at. One poor man had three pieces of hair resting on his jacket that weren't attacked to his balding head, and that tiny little thing had set her off on him.

"What's going on?" Ai rubbed his eyes walking in behind them. His pale face looked even more drawn than usual.

"Just something that happens from time to time." Syo answered him. "It'd be best to stay out of her way."

"No kidding." Otoya frowned. For this much rage it could only mean one thing. "Hey, where exactly are we?"

"We just passed Asmeon." Tomochika popped her head in making all three boys jump a little. "Super off course."

Ai grimaced at that fact. "How super off?"

Tomochika clicked her tongue. "I'd say probably another week or so, until we get to where you want dropped off. Plus some time that you'd have to travel alone."

"Ai..." Otoya looked at him worriedly.

"How come you don't want us to visit where you're from?" Syo said before Otoya could utter what he was going to say.

The cyan haired teen rolled his eyes. "Not all places are as fun to visit as Prinda."

Syo glared at him. "Isn't that something that I should get to decide?"

"No. I promise that you wouldn't like it."

"Now, now, boys. Is this really the time to argue?" Tomo clapped her hands together. "I mean, you wouldn't want Haruka to hear you right now would you?"

"No." They both agreed.

"Good." She smiled playfully. "Let's go find something to do. Maybe hide and seek?"

"That's a kid game." Syo whined.

"But if you're good enough, then Haru won't be able to yell at you." Tomo laugh. "I'll even be it first."

"You're such a kid." Syo nodded.

"Ai." Otoya said while Tomo and Syo talked. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Ai brushed him off.

But he didn't look it. His face much paler than it's normal almost nonexistent coloring, cyan eyes looked tired. Otoya promised himself that he would keep an eye on the secretive teen. Even if they were about to play again with Tomo where the main point was to not be found.

Otoya followed Syo out into the hallway, with Ai on his heels. Until he heard something strange, like a crash, and turned to see the cyan haired boy on the floor. Syo rushed passed him to see if the fellow teen was okay. But Otoya didn't move. More like he couldn't.

"Ai?" Syo called, tapping him lightly on the cheek. "Ai?"

"Oh my." Tomo said. "I guess our game is over before it could even begin. Let's get him to his room."

"Y-yeah." Syo said.

* * *

 _ **A little Evil Tomo to balance out the Good Haruka. This chapter and the next were originally one, but I wanted time (next chapter) to develop Masato so it was slip in two.**_

 _ **To be honest. I ever thought I'd have a story where chapters could be more than 3K.**_

 _ **Thank you to Crystalized Flowers for reviewing the last two chapters.**_

 _ **Want to know what happens faster? Hit that review box, share the love, or hate.**_

 _ **SK**_


	14. Part 3 Chapter 3

_Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _5974_

Tomochika looked down fondly at the child laying in the bed. Normally she could play it cool. She would never let the beast out. But something about the cyan haired boy made her restless. Even in the unconscious state that he was in, she wanted to devour him, and leave nothing behind. With him around she felt like everything she had worked so hard to hide was slowly being taken out of the darkness and displayed for everyone to see. But as she looked at his worn out face, she felt bad for snapping at him.

Maybe he really wasn't like her ans trying to take her home from her. Maybe there was some other explanation for why he knew so much about Haruka. Some other reason why her feral side wanted him gone so much.

She shook her head. It wasn't something she could just understand. There was never this urge before. She had never wanted to kill so bad in her life. Was this urge to hurt this boy only to protect herself or was it something else? She just could comprehend what was happening. Almost, in a way, she felt like if Syo and Otoya weren't sleeping a mere 5 feet from where she sat, in the wooden chair with plush white pillows covering the back and bottom, next to Ai's bed, she would probably end him before he could open his eyes again.

When he fell to the floor she had smiled. She didn't know why. It just happened. She had even joked about how she couldn't play because of Ai. This boy, who had never done anything to her, she felt pleasure knowing that there was something wrong with him. She was losing her mind trying to figure out what she would do when he woke up. Would she accidentally threaten him again? Or would she, the person inside, maintain control?

"What are we to do?" She uttered under her breath. Her hands intertwined holding up her chin as she rested her elbows on her knees. This was all just to much. "What am I supposed to do, Van?"

* * *

 _"Otoya." The hushed whisper came from below the machine, that Otori called a truck._

 _They had halted their movements for the night and the brunette soundly slept in the cab of the vehicle. Since Otoya was from Xetune, the man decided that he could withstand the chilled air of a spring night outside in the bed where he was chained._

 _"Otoya." He said again, rousing the redhead from his sleep._

 _"Cecil?" his blurry eyes didn't want to open, voice muffled with sleep._

 _"Big brother!" The four year old child vaulted himself up onto the bed of the truck._

 _"Cecil!" He said in shock, moving back slightly as the chain giggled delightfully with each movement. "You have to go home."_

 _The younger of the two kits tilted his head. "But I came here to save you." He announced loudly._

 _"Shh." Otoya hushed him. "You have to go home and find papa."_

 _"but Oto-nii." Cecil whined._

 _Otoya tried to look stern, but he couldn't hide the relief that washed over him. For the longest time he feared the worst and hoped for the best. Now he knew his brother was alive and well, he could only fear the worst again. His red eyed glanced at the thin glass that separated them and his captor. The last thing he wanted was for Cecil to get caught too. But his brother showing up had given him the worst thing possible. It gave him hope. And the more hope he had, the more horrible it would be once his dreams of escaping were crushed._

 _"Listen, Cecil, go home and get papa." He said lightly._

 _"But I want to help."_

 _"You can't."_

 _"No you can't." Both of their heads snapped at the deep voice._

 _Otoya looked at the window in fear. He turned his wide eyes to his brother. he wanted to shout and scream, but his voice wouldn't come out above a hushed whisper. "Run."_

Otoya opened his eyes. Sweat running down his pads, breathing fast, he pushed himself off the floor of Ai's room. Next to where he had been laying was Syo, curled up in a little ball. Walking on all fours, he made his way around to where even Tomo had fallen asleep, her head resting on the side of his bed just below where his hand rested.

Swishing his puffy white tail first, the white kit jumped up onto Ai's bed. He nuzzled in close to the cyan haired teens outer thigh and laid down next to him. Even with there being a sheet between them, Otoya could tell that he was cold. His skin probably felt like ice. And he smelled faintly of wet soil, a dewy petrichor scent that was hard to miss. He hadn't noticed before. Otoya had just assumed that Ai didn't have a smell. How had he missed that? Everyone had a scent. Syo smelled of warm sunlight. Tomochika strangely smelled of blood and gore (which Otoya never wanted to ask about and never planned to). Haruka also had a strange smell to her, with a single whiff she smelled of dandelions and oil, probably from working on the ship for so long, but beneath she smelled of somewhere between salt and limestone.

"Otoya."

He jumped, he had been lost in thought. Picking himself up, he walked up to where Ai could easily see him.

"Can you get Haruka?"

Otoya willed himself back. The white fur shrinking into his flesh until all that was left was red hair. "Of course."

"One more thing." Ai said before Otoya could even climb off the bed to run out of the room.

Otoya winced, realizing that most thought it was strange for him to not wear clothing. "M-my pants are on the floor by Syo, I'll make sure to grab them."

"That's not it." Ai said softly while shaking his head. "I was just curios. Are you a red head or an albino?"

The redhead looked at him perplexed. He didn't know how to answer. So instead, he put his head down and muttered. "I'll be back soon."

* * *

Haruka stomped through the corridor on her way back to the navigation center. She couldn't believe what she was about to say so how was Masato? Sure he had been with her for the longest time, other than Tomo, but this... this sounded like suicide.

Shaking her head she told herself she had to stand strong behind her decision. If she didn't show weakness or sign of hesitation then no one would dare to openly doubt her. And if they did, she would just kill them. She told them that often. To go against her was to go against god. She held their fate in her hands.

"Masato!" She slammed through the metal door, almost breaking it off it's hinges. "Set a course."

"To where captain?"

"Into the Obsidian Abyss."

His blue eyes looked at her as if she was nuts. Mostly because that's what it seemed like. The Obsidian Abyss was riddled with wormholes and black holes. There was no sun, no way to navigate since it was virtually uncharted. His lips pressed into an thin frown. "Yes captain."

She sighed.

 _"Everyone out!" She yelled waking the two sleeping guests in the room up. She was in no mood to play. First this kid plays mind games with her then just falls over? She didn't know what to think. And not knowing made her pissed off._

 _It didn't take long for Syo to scurry out, with Otoya (and his shirt he hadn't grabbed earlier) close behind. Tomochika had traipsed out as slowly as she could, like it didn't matter if it took her all day to cross the small bedroom. She also eyed the boy cruelly as she left. Haruka slammed the door the second both of her feet were in the hall and locked it before anyone could think of a reason to disturb them._

 _"You're even madder than I thought you would be."_

 _"Do you see a reason for me not to be mad?"_

 _He thought about it. "No."_

 _"So." She took a seat on the edge of the bed, where Otoya had been about to fall asleep. "Where are we going? You're not going to find your way home like that."_

 _He frowned at her. "I told you before you won't believe me."_

 _"Try me." She leaned in closed, ignoring any personal space he had left._

 _"Head into the Obsidian Abyss."_

 _"No." She deadpanned. There was no way in hell she planned on going in that dead zone._

 _"There's a planet called Mal-Terra."_

 _"The Abyss doesn't contain life." She told him. "It doesn't have a sun."_

 _"there's a city-" He stopped saying whatever he was going to say. "Just because it doesn't have light doesn't mean there's nothing there."_

 _"Yes it does."_

 _"No it doesn't."_

 _"YES IT DOES!"_

 _He shook his head at her. "I can give you coordinates to get around every black hole. That should be enough proof."_

 _"This little game of yours needs to come to a stop."_

 _"For someone who grew up not knowing what night was, shouldn't you believe a little more?" He titled his head._

 _She faltered. "I-I don't know what you mean."_

 _"After everything you've seen, just believe me."_

 _Her eyebrows arched. He didn't know everything she had seen. He had no right to say that, even if it seemed that he knew more than he was supposed to. "It's not about believing you or not believing you. I just want to see if you're a liar like you accuse me of being. Mal-Terra's probably just part of your imagination."_

 _"Sure, prove me wrong." He smirked at her angry face in satisfaction._

 _Was he teasing her? One thing was for sure; he sure knew how to get on her nerves. Was this just another one of his mind games? She couldn't tell if he was being serious with this planet in an abyss of darkness like that galaxy. She and every other traveler knew how dangerous it was there. How could he even claim to be from such a place?_

Haruka bit down on her thumbnail. How could she risk the lives of all the people on her ship for this? What was she even risking them for? For food, or was it for something else? She hated how little Ai was telling her. He wasn't even telling her what was really going on. Syo and Otoya were worried sick because they didn't know what was wrong with their, not quiet, friend.

"Haruka." Masato stood from his seat. "We're currently on course. Mind if I have a word?"

"What is it?" She folded her arms.

"In private." He said blankly.

Rolling her golden eyes, she lead the way to the hallway, where nobody seemed to be. When she turned back to him, the bluenette was frowning at her. Blinking at him in surprise she asked. "What?"

"I think this is foolish. What are we even doing going to the Abyss?"

She frowned at his words. Out of all the crazy things she had done over the years, he had never once spoken against her. "Out of everyone, I never thought it would be you to doubt me."

"You've done a lot of shit, but this is one I can't turn my head at." His voice far to serious. "How can I fear you killing me when we are going to die in uncharted territory? I have a little sister that I support off of the money that you give me. She depends on me. Do you know how she's going to feel when She has to imagine that we are dead, because our bodies will never be found? Or how she might feel when she thinks that I've abandoned her?"

Haruka's face darkened. "You won't die unless I kill you."

"If we don't die," He paused. "I want out after this. I'm going home."

"I'm not taking you back to Otheren. I hate the thought of even entering the Vortex Star System."

"No need." He said. "My sister is currently in Lenus as a transfer student."

Haruka looked at him. His cold blue eyes watched her every movement too closely. She let out a sigh. "I feel for that look in your eyes again. I'll take you to Lenus, but remember you and your sister are always welcomed among my crew. And-"

"And your sources run deep so if I ever tell you'll take whats most important first and make me watch as you skin her alive before doing the same to me."

"Good boy." She smiled at him. "I think out of everyone I've ever let leave, I'll miss you the most."

* * *

 _"Run." Otoya whispered. He wanted to shout it to the world. He wanted everyone to hear him. He wanted somebody, anybody to come to their rescue. But most of all he didn't want Cecil to be staring wide eyed as the door to the metal beast opened darker skinned brother could easily run away. He could just start and not look back, it was probably best that way. But the kit sat frozen until Otoya pushed at him. "You have to go. Now!"_

 _"Otoya, I-" He didn't finish. The dark brown boot met with the blue grass. One leg out and a hand latched onto the outer side, using it to steady the rest of the body._

 _"Go." Otoya begged him._

 _"O-okay." His little brother looked at him with wide green eyes. As fast as the young changeling's body would let him, he shifted, jumped down and started to flee._

 _Otoya closed his eyes. Cecil was getting away. Good. He was so tired, so ready. Sure he still wanted to go home. He wanted to eat the rabbit his father would bring home after a long day of business, in a stew that his mother painstakingly made from scratch. He wouldn't pick and complain out the small bits of leafy greens in it like he usually did. There were so many things he still wanted to do, but his responsibility as a big brother came first._

 _'As long as Cecil was safe. As long as Cecil.' He chanted over and over again in his head. 'As long as Cecil is safe, it will all be worth the pain and suffering.'_

 _"So he finally showed up." Otori yawned loudly._

 _Otoya's eyes snapped open at how close the voice was to his ear. red orbs couldn't even look at the person holding the weapon. Only the sleek wooden grip and the finger already on the trigger._

 _"Please no!" She shouted, flying to his feet. His chain jiggled happily as he tried to reach over the side of the truck to obscure the man's view or distract him or something. "Please! I'll do whatever you want."_

 _Taking a purple eye away from the scope, he clicked his tongue. "Is he really that important to you?"_

 _"Yes!" Otoya said, his eyes tearing up in relief. "The most important person."_

 _"Good." The brunette looked back through the scope. "Then you won't have a reason to try to run anymore."_

 _"No!"_

 _At first his mind froze. What was the sound he just heard? Then he realized what had happened._ _The ginger was surprised. He didn't know a gun shot could be so loud. So overwhelming. Once he recovered from his momentary shock, he whipped his head around, hoping that by some small miracle the man had missed. Perhaps he should have considered himself lucky that he couldn't see._

 _"You understand now kit? You're mine, and I'm going to find a way to put you in your place so you remember that."_

 _Otoya felt the color drain from his face. He knew what the warmth coming from his eyes was. Tears. He hadn't realized that they started to flow though. But he knew why they did. He had failed poor Cecil. He had failed at being a big brother._

 _"Cecil?" He called one last time, legs failing him and letting his fall to the plastic covered bed, as Raging Otori got in the car and fell back to sleep. In that single moment, Otoya knew it was over. There would be no help, and he would never be able to smell the gentle lavender, touch the spiky grass, or see his beautiful home of Xetune again._

"Otoya." Haruka woke him without realizing it, pulling him from his awful memory. She lightly stroked his red hair back, away from his face. Her voice was sweet and soothing.

He wouldn't have known he was in the observatory if not for the small fact that the first things his hand touched was cool glass. His head rested on Nanami's lap, but his red, teary, eyes stared blankly at the nothingness. No stars, no moons, no suns. Only nothingness of a dark void.

"Where are we?" He asked, voice raspy from his nap.

"Somewhere between implausible and impossible." She said. To most people it would have sounded like her just trying to be cryptic, but to Otoya it sounded like she wasn't sure either.

As his eyes adjusted, he could make out the faint outline of something circular below them. "Are we?" He began to ask.

"At Ai's home planet?" She nodded, taking her hand from his head and helping him to sit up. "The planet within the Abyss. Mal-Terra."

"Is Ai-"

"He'll be back soon." She said. "Then we'll go somewhere nice and sunny and take a few days off from traveling.

He nuzzled his face into her stomach. He knew she just wanted to comfort him. "That sounds nice." He said softly before falling back to sleep. This time he'd have a pleasant dream of a red haired, fierce, woman who under the moon's watchful eyes took him away from a dreaded place.

* * *

 _ **Crystalized Flowers- It's funny, I have notes on every world, such as foods they eat and sicknesses, but I just kept forgetting to add that kind of thing. I will try to remedy that in the next two chapters. And as always thank you for reviewing!**_

 _ **Guest- I'm really glad you are enjoying it. I hope you continue to be enthralled and that I don't fail to disappoint you. Thank you for reviewing!**_

 _ **I still haven't decided if there will be a pairing to this story. I feel like it's better off as having that family vibe than throwing in a relationship. Ugh but I can't decide.**_

 _ **SK**_


	15. Part 3 Chapter 4

**_My next long story will be a fantasy._**

 ** _I'm sorry it took so long to update. Next chapter should be up way faster because this chapter is kinda short. I know, filler chapters suck._**

 _The Dark Phoenix- **I'm glad to see you back again. Hopefully next chapter will answer some of your questions. And as for writing long stories, I also once wished the same thing. So if you decide to write I'd love tp read it and give you feedback**_

 _Crystalized Flowers- **Cecil's and Otoya's relationship was something my girlfriend insisted I expanded upon. As for Ai, I can tell you he is based off a really cool animal, if you want to try to guess.**_

 _Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _5959_

 _Masato turned his head. She was there. He could hear the sirens ringing clearly from the city. It had to be her. She had come to answer his prayers. She, the red haired goddess, only came by night. She was a savor to the weak, to the ones who deserved to live just as much as the privileged children. She turned street rats into people who had lives that mattered._

 _Masato had never seen her before, but he knew that he loved her. How could he not? She was the answer to all his prayers. She was the only one who could give Mai the kind of life the five year old deserved._

 _"Big brother?" The tiny, underfed, girl squeezed his hand as tight as her small fist could. "Has she come for us?"_

 _"I don't know Mai." He said not wanting to get her hopes up. But deep within him, he knew she was there. And whether it was to add to her crew or simple steal something by moonlight, Masato was going to make sure he and his little sister got on that ship. One way or another._

 _And if she could save them from the hellhole known as Otheren, he would would follow her to the ends of... Anywhere. he would follow her anywhere she wanted to go, no questions asked._

* * *

 _5974_

"Vacation!" Syo smiled, jumping onto the docks from the ship's entrance.

"A short one." Haruka frowned. This was probably the first time in years that she could relax. Then again, she had never permitted herself to have a vacation, never mind her poor crew.

"Don't be such a downer." Syo said, his eyes gleaming.

Haruka knew that this was one of the places, that she avoided, that he really wanted to see. When she had first stolen him, it was all he ever talked about. But after a while he gave up the idea of seeing the place he so desperately wanted to travel to. And now, after so long he was finally able to see this place. The way he smiled and looked about so cheerfully made Haruka happy. She was glad she could do this for Masato, but even more grateful that she could do this for Syo.

"Hey, young man." She called to Syo as he started to race away. "Take Otoya with you."

He was already out of ear shot when she finished her sentence.

"Don't worry." Otoya yawned from behind her. He scratched his head and rubbed his eyes. "I'll catch up to him."

She sighed heavily. "Thank you Otoya. I have to go check on Tomo and Ai."

"No problem." He yawned again dropping down to all fours and changing into his cat like self. His white tank top and black shorts left littering the entrance while he chased after his best friend.

Golden eyes watched him go before bending down to grab the discarded garb. She then went back inside, trying to decide who to check on first. She really didn't feel like dealing with Tomo's cheerful disposition, but she also didn't want to have to solve every word that came out of Ai's mouth like a riddle.

Placing a hand to her aching head, she decided that Ai might just be easier. Besides, she knew that Tomo was okay. The older redhead was probably just sleeping the day away, like she sometimes did. Ai, on the other hand, was a complete mystery. If she could get him while his guard was down, maybe he might slip up and actually answer her questions.

"Haruka?" She turned at Masato's uncertain voice. "Can I have a word?"

* * *

Blue eyes gazed around Arcendor. He had wanted to badly to come here for so long, that Syo wasn't sure if it was really happening. Maybe he was inside some wonderful dreamland that granted all of his wishes.

"This is totally the best." He cheered to himself. In his mind he recalled everything he had learned about the largest city on Lenus, and he had learned a lot.

Arcendor had no grass, their streets were all paved in a bronze metal to hide the dying ground below. The only reason they had oxygen was because the people of Lenus had long since learned how to make synthetic air. Their large bronzed buildings towered above everything, reaching up to the sky.

"This place is just amazing." He whispered to himself. It was just too perfect. Everything he had dreamed of. "I could stay here forever."

Syo kicked at the paved road. With no real ground there was nothing to kick up, their streets remained next to spotless. People with bronzed skin walked passed him, exiting from buildings left and right. Until he made his way to the once place he wanted to see the most. The Lenus Prinda trade building. His father had worked so hard to make it so that their two planets connected. So that way they could share and both be prosperous.

And there. Exiting the building was a tall, blonde haired man. His sharp face highlighted by his deep blue eyes.

"Syo." Otoya panted. He gasped as he changed into his human form right behind the blonde. "I thought I'd never catch up.'

Syo jumped, looking at him. His eyes widened. "Otoya! Change back, you can't be naked."

Otoya blinked at him, just as he always did. "I was told to come with you."

"Please." Syo begged, averting his eyes. "You could get arrested for public indecency."

"Well my outfit is back at home."

"Fine. Fine!" Syo yelled getting his drift. "Change back and well go get your stuff back at the ship."

Otoya nodded, easily becoming a white cat again. He meowed in protest as Syo picked him up. With once last glance over his shoulder, only to see that the blonde haired man was no longer there, he started off back to the ship. Not exactly sure how he should feel about seeing his father again.


	16. Part 3 Chapter 5

_Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _5959_

"You wanted to talk?" Haruka crossed her arms.

Masato had dragged her all the way back to the cafeteria to talk over a slice of strawberry short cake. She knew that he knew that she loved sweet things. Meaning he probably wanted something from her. But for the life of her she couldn't figure out what it was.

He nodded bring is blue tea cup up to his mouth. "Yes."

"About what?" She raised an eyebrow at how suspicious he was being. It wasn't like he wasn't answering her questions, but he wasn't telling her anything. She tried her hardest to keep her anger in check. She hated being toyed with.

"Well it's about the trip into the Abyss-"

"I know that you and most of the others didn't approve going there." She frowned at him. It wasn't like she didn't know how mad everyone was that she risked all of their lives for a single person that they barely knew.

He nodded his head again. "I want to stay here with Mai now."

Haruka was taken aback. Surprise etched deeply into her face. Out of all the things that she was expecting, this wasn't it. "What?"

"I thought we were going to die." He said calmly. "And next time I think that I want to be by Mai's side. I don't want to be surrounded by people I pretend to know."

"You can't do this." She tried to say passively. "You promised when I took you both in, when I gave her money to go to a school to have a good life, that you would follow me until you died."

"I didn't think someone like you would throw yourself into a position where you could die at any given moment."

"That's kind of our job." Her golden orbs glared at him.

"I could get away if you got caught. Being trapped on a ship that might be sucked into a black hole, that's different." He said then took another long sip from his cup.

"it doesn't matter." She growled, letting her frustration flare. "I won't let you go. If you leave you'll have nobody to pay for your sister's schooling."

He set his cup down, taking his eyes off the porcelain. "I think we'll be fine on our own."

She watched him, one of her oldest members, stand ready to leave. Slamming her small hands against the table, knocking over what was left of her half eaten cake, she stood too. Her eyes shooting deadly daggers at him, her mouth curled up. "I swear to you, if you walk out that door right now, one day when you least expect it I will come back for you. And I will destroy your happiness. Everything you hold dear will belong to me and you will have nothing left."

"I thought you had changed Haruka." He gave her a pitied look. "I thought you were a goddess. I guess I was wrong. You won't give up this selfish life of thievery like I thought you one day would. I believed that you had changed. I hope you have a great life. What's rest of it."

He turned his back to her and she howled. "You will regret this!"

* * *

"Syo." Otoya shoved his head through the hole in his shirt. "You seem down. What's up?"

"Nothing." He mumbled, sitting on his bed in their shared room. He really didn't want to talk about it. And Otoya, who was better at picking up vibes than anyone else on the entire ship, just wasn't getting it. It was almost as if he was secretly trying to pry the information from his head that Syo didn't want to give up.

His eyes glanced around the off-white room that he had been in for years. He really wished that Haruka would let him paint it. He didn't understand why Haruka liked this boring color. It really wasn't like her at all. She seemed like the kind of person who would like bold and powerful colors. Definitely not white, or anything close to it.

"I think you're lying." Otoya tugged the shirt the rest of the way on. He used his fingers to comb his unruly red hair. "Just tell me. It will make life easier."

"So bossy." Syo forced a laugh.

"Is it because we are back in the Asteria Nebula?" Otoya gazed at him. He didn't make any attempts to move to the door.

"What? No." Syo had to catch himself.

"Is it about the Prindan man we saw?"

"You saw him too?" Syo asked, then covered his mouth at his mistake. "I mean-"

"So was he your father? Or just another person that looked and smelled like you."

"Smelled?" Syo shot him a strange look. "How do I smell?"

Otoya blushed. "Well it's hard to explain."

"How hard could it be?" The blonde blinked.

Otoya scratched his head. "Well, you do know what sunlight smells like?"

Syo shook his head.

"Then let's drop it. All you need to know is that he smelled like you. And not all people smell the same." Otoya reached for him. "Come on let's go talk to him."

"No way." Syo retreated further onto the bed. "This is why I didn't want to tell you."

"But this is you're big chance to let your family know that you are okay. Don't you want them to know?"

"Otoya-"

"Come on, come on." Otoya grabbed his arm and forced him off the bed. The redhead was taller and stronger than he was and found it easier to pull Syo along with whatever he wanted to do.

Pulling the blonde by the arm, Otoya almost tripped his as he went full speed though the hall to get off the ship. The redhead knew that he could easily smell the man from Prinda out.

"Listen, Otoya." Syo said in order to get his friend to slow down. "I just don't really feel comfortable with this. I'm not sure he would even remember be."

"A father would always remember his child." Otoya said firmly, as if he was forcing himself to believe the blatant lie he was telling.

"Just." Syo finally managed to pull his arm away from Otoya's firm grip. He rubbed the slightly sore area and looked down at his hands. Even though the street wasn't crowded, Syo was embarrassed. "Please."

Otoya looked at him confused for a second before he nodded his head and gave a weak smile. "Sorry, Syo, I didn't mean to force my feelings on you."

"It's okay." The blonde said, uncomfortable. He reached out his out to Otoya. "Ready to go home kitty?"

The red eyed boy gave a sarcastic laugh. "Don't call me that."

Syo let his gaze linger for a few moments, after the redhead had returned to his side, hoping to get one last glance at the man he knew was his father.

"Syo?"

* * *

Ai saw her sitting on her bed from the hallway. It wasn't like Tomochika to leave her bedroom door open when she wanted alone time. Then again, if it wasn't for Haruka or Otoya (Whom she had thought was a cat for most of his life), she really didn't leave her door open. Even Syo had admitted to him once that he had never been in the long haired woman's room.

So when he saw her sitting on her bed, looking at her hands, with the door open he couldn't help but to barged in. Even with his heavy steps she didn't look up until he flopped on her bed.

"Hey." He said with a nod when her eyes met his.

"Hey." Her voice sounded quizzical. When she noticed that he wasn't leaving she raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ai shrugged nonchalantly. "I just wanted to see what's up."

"If it's about threatening you. I'm s-" She stopped. Swallowing , she licked her lips. "Sorry."

"Who cares about that." He said. "I'd rather know why you threatened me."

"Like I'd tell someone like you." Tomo rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, it's whatever you know. I'm sure you had questions that I wouldn't someone like you." He looked at her from out of the corner of his eye, a smug smile on his face.

"Well..." She drew out the 'L' for a while. "Those crystals-"

"Nope." He interrupted. "Off limits two people I can't trust."

"You can totally trust me."

"Says the person who wanted to kill me."

"Oh, come on. You know I didn't mean that."

"Sure, sure." He threw his legs up on the clean, pale pink, sheets.

She squinted at him, unsatisfied. "A secret for a secret?"

"Interesting." He said, not sounding the least bit convincing.

"What are those crystals?"

"Food. People." The teen fidgeted. "It's complicated."

Her lip curled up, but she somehow managed to keep most of the disgust she felt from showing. "Obviously."

"And you." Ai looked at her seriously. "What is your little secret?"

"Which one?" She laughed.

"The one that makes it seem like you have a vicious beast beneath your pretty exterior."

Tomo blushed and put a hand up to her cheek. "Awe, you think I'm pretty."

"I also thing you're like double my age." He deadpanned.

The redhead pouted. "You're no fun."

There was a moment of silence between the two. Ai's shoes on her bed, Tomo's feet hanging over the side, skimming the floor. She looked at him with a feral look in her eyes and he grinned at her. Not the all knowing grin that he gave to the smaller female. This one was different.

She flopped back, head hitting the soft feathery pillow, so she wouldn't have to sit top half turned back to look at him. "Shouldn't you already know?"

"This might shock you, but I don't know everything."

"Really?" She sneered sarcastically.

"I answered one of yours." He said seriously.

"Ugh." She grabbed her head. "You gave a vague answer."

"Still an answer."

Tomochika stuck out her lip at him before sighing. "Fine. It's just sometimes I lose my cool. It's like the inner beast gets out and I have no control. Everything goes black and I just... I don't know."

Ai looked at her seriously with his cyan eyes. "Wow. How did that happen?"

She smiled. "A monster came and made me like him." She looked at the ceiling and rubbed her hands together. "So crystals as food that's weird. Are they really made of people?"

He paused for a moment wondering why she was asking, then he realized that he had asked her a question and she was just taking advantage of the situation. "

"Sometimes, on Mal-Terra, the people that live there turn to crystal. And I know what you're thinking, no cannibalism isn't something we often partake in, but the crystals are like a natural medicine."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Also very addictive." He inched away from her. "So don't touch it."

"So we you sick or something?" She asked, making him smile. She just gave him another question.

"Something like that." Ai's cyan haired brushed one of her pillows. "Last question. Is what you have really a curse, or is it more of a blessing."

Tomo's lips formed a thin frown. "Ai..."

* * *

Syo folded his hands on the table. A luke warm lemonade sat in front of him almost full. The one in front of Otoya was nearly empty. Across the booth his father sat, looking him (or what he could see of him) up and down.

The blonde haired man's eyes narrow that the two teens. "How have you been Syo?"

Syo cringed at how awkward he sounded. "Fine."

"And this is your friend?"

"Otoya." The redhead held out his hand. His voice far to excited.

The man didn't grab his hand. He looked pointedly at him. "Where have you been? We looked everywhere for you."

"I've been a lot of places."

"I hope you know that isn't an acceptable answer. Do you know how worried we were about you?" His voice stern. He did have a good reason to be mad. "Never mind that. Are you ready to come home?"

Syo raised an eyebrow at him. "I have a choice?"

"Of course not." His father said.

Otoya tugged at his sleeve. Leaning in he whispered in his ear. "I think we should go. He's really scary."

"Yeah." Syo nodded.

The blonde haired man looked at them. "You can run all you want Syo, I'll find a way to bring you back home."

"Funny." Syo said, both he and his friend stood suddenly. "You haven't been trying hard these past eight years."

The Prindan man frowned, hitting the table with his fists. "I'll track you down, to the ends of the universe."

"Yeah right." So and Otoya took off.

 _Part III_

 _Trace the World_

 _End_

* * *

 ** _I hated part 3. Blah._**

 ** _Thank you_** ** _Crystalized Flowers for reviewing._**

 ** _Sk_**


	17. Part 4 Chapter 1

_Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _5949_

Perhaps if it were anyone else, the dimmest of lights in the vast darkness of the night wouldn't have seemed so strange, so freighting. Then again, for anyone else, they probably would have had the same reaction. The tiny glow that flicked like a firefly had draw the attention of two pale, almost white eyes. These eyes watched it from afar. What was it? Why was it there? Was it always there? If not, where was if from? He had hunted in this part many times and never seen it before, so it could have always been there right? There were so many questions that weaved around the hairless head of the young boy.

The first time it flickered, he flinched away. Was it going to attack him? Did it know that he was there? It wasn't speaking or making any sort of noise, so the child couldn't help but to wonder if it was dying. It wasn't an unnatural thought. Things died all the time. Then Terrans like him would move in and salvage what was left. For the young, like himself, he would be lucky to find food as it was wasting away so he wouldn't have to fight over it later. And those who couldn't find food had to eat the Numbing Crystals. It was a food of sorts, not something anyone would want to live on. Certainly not something Ai want to live on. As the name suggested it would numb the senses, but also heal ailments. No, Ai knew to stay away from that. It was Taboo.

Because eating your family isn't something that anyone should have to live with.

Life on Mal-Terra was cruel and merciless.

"Crap!" The light flickered.

Ai drew back. He wasn't sure what he heard, but it sounded like a Larkien war-cry. No. That couldn't be right. Even a single wounded Larkien never strayed so far south of Lyke. Those moss cover abominations always stayed near the board of Lyke and Lark. But if it was one, Ai knew he had no chance.

"Not again." The low rumble came.

And again, without realizing it, he flinched. The damp planet that he hid in rustled with his movements. His eyes widened when he realized that he would be heard. This would be the end of him. Surely he would be swallowed whole by some predator that emitted the strange glow that was starting to hurt his eyes. What kind of death would it be? Slow and painful was an obvious factor. But would he have to experience the feeling of having his bones slowly crushed as he was eaten alive? Or would he be skinned alive (Larkiens were famous for that)?

"Who's there?" The brightness called.

Ai wasn't exactly sure what it was doing, making such sounds. He couldn't understand anything.

"I won't hurt you." The light called again.

Ai felt his throat dry. Half of him wanted to investigate the thing that he had never seen before. But the other half, the more reasonable one, knew that he shouldn't. What if this was some new species that lured prey in by showing them this amazing thing and then eat them.

"There you are."

Ai jumped as he felt something poke his back. He hissed before even looking at whatever had touched him. But soon his pale eyes adjusted back to the darkness and saw him. He wasn't the tallest being Ai had ever seen, but not short enough to be a child. His hair was wet and wavy, the color hard to discern in the dark. And his mouth parted upwards in a gesture that Ai had never seen one use the mouth for.

"Are a native here?" His words made no sense.

* * *

Ai couldn't help but to want to touch it. It burned his eyes but not his flesh, so of course he wanted to touch it. But he was far to short to reach for the light bulb the dangled from the ceiling. The most he could reach was the long chain, even to touch that he had to stand on the weird wooden thing. He didn't understand how something could be hard and plush at the same time.

Standing on the tips of his toes he reached and reached. Stretching out as far as his muscle would let him, and still he fell short. He wanted, no needed to touch it. His curiosity wouldn't be satisfied until he knew if the light felt gentle or if it would hurt hum.

"It certainly is damp out there." The man walked passed him, something fluffy and white pressed against his damp cyan hair. His eyes, that matched his hair, narrowed at Ai for a moment before he reached out.

Ai flinched away at the contact, knocking over the chair and crashing to the ground. He made a hissing sound at the man, who was trying to hold in his laughter. His pale eyes narrowed at the other. Hastily he stood up making it look like the fall was nothing.

"I'm sorry." The man did that weird thing with his mouth again. Watery substance formed in his eyes. "I was just going to warn you if you continued to do that you'd fall."

The man picked up the chair. After backing off by a few steps he watched the colorless boy step back up onto the cushion and try to reached for the light again.

He couldn't help but to laugh, which drew the boy's attention. "Sorry." He tried to say without laughing again. "By the way, I'm Aine Kisaragi. Who are you?"

The child just tilted his head at the man.

"So you don't talk? That's okay." Aine rubbed his chin. "So you won't really mind if I study you for my research?"

Ai just looked at him for an instant before turning his attention back to the unknown thing above him. There was nothing he wanted more than to touch it. It didn't seem like it was going to eat him, so why shouldn't he try to touch it?

Aine on the other hand, took the hand, took a seat across from the boy, at the small table. He had kind of wished that his kitchen wasn't the first room he had brought Ai to. He didn't realized, although he should have since he had been studying the Abyss for years, that this child had never really seen light before. But the light bulb didn't seem to affect him.

"Do you have a name?" Aine asked. He knew the child probably wouldn't answer him, but he wanted to know what to call him.

Ai reached, his white bony finger only jingling the chain. "Ai," He said, almost as if he were echoing what Aine had said earlier.

"So you can speak!" Aine's jaw dropped. He tapped his fingers on the table top. "It really is a shame. My ship is almost fixed, so I'll be leaving soon. Darn, just when I actually find life here. Those idiots on earth wouldn't know what to think, knowing I'm right."

Ai watched as the man sighed. He tilted his head and carefully repeated "Earth".

Aine perked up after hearing that. "Come to think of it... Ai how would you like to see earth? I can show you more light than just that bulb."

Ai looked up at the 'light' and back down at Aine. Although he didn't understand every word of what he was saying, he was a fast learner. If he could show him more of this 'light' that was forever out of his reach, it couldn't be a bad idea to do what the man wanted. Ai blinked, that shine from above was hurting his eyes.

"More."

Aine smiled at him. "But you have to do something for me."

Ai just tilted his head.

"When you learn to talk, you'll have to teach me all about this place. Everything. Even the name you call it."

"Mal-Terra." Ai said without hesitation. Even if he didn't speak the same language as Aine Kisaragi he was sure than man would understand that. Somehow he just knew it.

* * *

 _ **I tried so hard to put this chapter off. Hopefully next chapter will be better.**_

 _ **Thank you**_ ** _Crystalized Flowers for reviewing. Btw I loved your rant, and if I weren't writing this I would agree with you._**

 ** _SK_**


	18. Part 4 Chapter 2

**_Has anyone ever had that chapter that they'd rather scope out their eyes with corroded pennies than write? And with 'Chaotic' working on never forget it's taking forever to figure out how to describe these places._**

 ** _I also want you guys to understand that Ai is actually a lot older than Syo thinks he is._**

 ** _Crystalized Flowers- Thank you for reviewing. And yeah, when trying to determine how to portray Aine, I wanted to make him like I would see Hakase (even if he's not a playable character, I love him and try to find ways to indirectly add him to the story). I'm kinda glad you noticed._**

 _Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _5951_

Skyria's sky-station was full of life. It didn't matter if it was the middle of the night or just barely noon. The sky-station was a never ending city of business and lights. Aine could only compare it to the shine of a city he had once visited on earth called Vegas. Though it definitely looked far different. No Skyria looked like a mechanical planet. streams or cords could be seen where there wasn't walkways. Cogs and pulleys constantly moving, as if supporting the very life of the planet. It reminded him of a grandfather clock.

The inner scientist in him wanted to talk apart the planet and see how it really worked. But the smarter half of his knew that he couldn't go around causing trouble. Darn his ship for breaking down in such a magnificent place. Why couldn't it have broken somewhere that looked more normal?

He sighed. It didn't matter, soon he would have another ship. He was supposed to met with a friend to get it.

Eventually his eyes turned back to the small child at his side. In the two years he had been with the boy, he hadn't grown much. The only bright sides were that the more time the child spent with him the more normal he began to look. His complexion wasn't as colorless as before (although he still looked unnaturally pale). And He had even started to grow hair. It did surprise the scientist that the color of their hair matched. But in a way it was cute, which made him smile. Perhaps there was a copying mechanism that the Mal-Terrans possessed to help them blend into a crowd.

"Ai, do you see anyone?" Aine realized how dumb the question was as soon as it left his lips. Ai was a blunt person, er, being (whatever he was).

And just like the man thought he answered. "I see a lot of people."

Aine wanted to smack his head. He couldn't really do anything about the answer. He was sure that Ai wasn't aware of what sarcasm was, and his observation had been right. There were probably hundreds of people passing them. He shouldn't have excepted the boy to pick out his brunette friend in the middle of this ever moving mob.

Ai looked up at the man, who seemed to be contemplating something. A frown formed on his childish face. His pale eyes turned to the waves of people, rushing to go wherever it was they were headed too. Squinting he could make out the person slowly, but surely, making his way over to them. "Is it Kotobunchi?"

"Buki." Aine corrected reflexively. "Kotobuki."

The child rolled his eyes and pointed. "Him?"

Aine looked down at him for a second before following where he was pointing. He didn't know how he could see anything through the crowd, but eventually his eyes fell on the top of a certain brunette's head. The cyan haired man couldn't help but to be stunned. How had Ai found him so fast? It was impressive how well the boy's eyes worked. The very first moment they met Aine thought him to be blind. His eyes were just so pale. And although they still looked ghost-like in color, it seemed that once he had adjusted to worlds with light, he could see just fine.

Shaking his head away from the thoughts, he raised his hand and called out. "Reiji!"

The brunette ducked into the crowd for what seemed like half an hour before finally making his way over. Hands on the baggy brown shorts that rested just above his knees he panted. "Busiest time of day."

"Isn't it always the busiest time of day here?" Aine teased.

His friend straightened a smirk smeared on his face. "No, sometimes it's the busiest time of night."

"Ha." Aine laughed dryly. He should have know Reiji would say that.

"Fine, fine. Down to business." Reiji waved his hand, playful attitude vanishing as he let the limb drop to his side. "I'm giving you my ship, but you have to take me to earth."

"This again?" Aine didn't look amused.

"I was left with a kid. Earth is the safest place in the galaxy, that's where I want to take him."

"Safest place?" Aine mumbled. He had once considered himself an earthling, but not anymore. "There are plenty of better places. Have you thought of Prinda?"

Reiji scoffed. "They're head for a war with Lenus from what I hear. I want to be far from that place." His gray eyes rolled, landing on the child clinging to his leg. "You wouldn't want to take your son near that would you?"

Aine looked at him puzzled. "Ai's not my son. I found him."

"Where?" The brunette wasn't convinced.

Aine smiled widely but said in a small voice. "In the Abyss. I knew there was life in there. I knew it."

Reiji turned, throwing his hands up in the air. "I knew you were insane, but delusional too?"

"I'm not." Aine pouted. He grabbed Ai's hand. "He'll tell you, right Ai."

"Yes."

Reiji didn't turn back to them. "Well if you both are going to act crazy, let's head back to my house."

* * *

"So why earth?" Aine sat to the round table, his eyes firmly on Ai, making sure he wouldn't eat the baby, who he was slowly rocking to sleep. The fisrt thing the boy asked upon seeing it was if he could eat it. Reiji, naturally, freaked out and moved the infant from harm. Aine was embarrassed to say that he was flustered over the fact that Ai thought the baby looked like a 'snarlgoth' which seemed to be a type of snail that he enjoyed eating. But after having it explained, Ai just simply wanted to rock the child to sleep.

"The war-"

"Who's the kid?" Aine changed his question, making the brunette gulp.

"Just the kid of some friend."

"Some friend?"

He averted his gray eyes. "Y-yeah."

"he's the reason you want to move, so tell me the truth." The cyan haired man said. "Or I'll just find another ship."

"No!" Reiji jumped up.

"You'll tell me?"

"Fine." Reiji sighed. His eyes glancing to the short haired boy. "But this never leave us."

"Ai won't speak if you ask him not to."

The Skyrian man sat again, his elbows resting on the table. "I once had a good friend, Ranmaru. One day he started talking about finding this planet called Sharda."

"Never heard of it."

"Me neither." Reiji frowned. "Until he started looking for it. Apparently someone Ranmaru cared about was taken there by a man named Van. So he left looking for it and honestly I'm not sure if he ever found it, but I hadn't seen him in years. Like a decade or more."

"And then he just came back?" Aine pretty much go the picture.

"Gave Nagi to me and disappeared again." The brunette confirmed. "Whatever he was running from, I don't want it to find Nagi."

"How cute, parental instinct." Aine teased.

"If my friend died for a child, I'm going to protect him. And earth is the safest place to do that."

"Fine."

"Really?"

"On one more condition."

Kotobuki frowned. "i'm already giving you my ship."

But the scientist waved him off. "If anything ever happens to me, you'll always have a place for Ai at you're place. Well my place, you can take over my temple."

"Awe, how cute. Parental instinct." The brunette mocked in a higher pitched voice. "Have you gotten him to call you papa yet?"

"As if I ever-"

"Papa?" Ai echoed.

Aine blushed, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Aren't you going to correct him?" Reiji was enjoying this.

Letting out a sigh of frustration. "No." Aine knew he made the wrong choice. Ai was a project. He was proof of everything he ever said was true, actually being true. He wasn't some kid that Aine needed to get attached to, but still... The cute way his light voice said that. the way his eyes looked up questioningly. Aine knew it was the wrong choice to get attached, but it just felt so right.

* * *

Aine felt his little boy shuffle beneath the blankets. It woke him up immediately. He wasn't used to having someone sleep next to him. But that wasn't even the worst part. Ai's skin was cold to the touch, it always was, which made him shiver every time the boy accidentally bumped him. Darn Reiji for only having two beds.

"Ai what are you doing?" He pulled the purple blanket down revealing the boy's face.

"Thinking." He answered plainly.

"About what?"

"Places I want to go. Things I want to see."

"Really, now, what brought this up?"

Ai continued to stare straight ahead at the ceiling. "Reiji said you needed a fast ship because you want to go everywhere. But he said it's also like you've already been everywhere important."

The man hummed, propping himself up on his pillow. "I've been a lot of places people don't like to go, or think it's impossible to go."

"But it's not impossible."

"I am a man of science. When people say impossible I say improbable. They said I'd never find intelligent life beyond earth but I found so many planets and people, more than they could ever know. Then I was told I'd never find anything but death in the Abyss and I found you."

"I want to go."

Aine blinked. "Where?"

"Where it's improbable. I want to see everything."

"Then you'd better stick with me kid. I'll go wherever I want."

"Even Sharda?" Ai looked at him, his pale eyes searched his face for any weakness.

"One day. but let's not tell anybody about that place. It will be a secret between you, me, and Reiji."

"What about earth?"

"I can show you around where I used to live, where Reiji and Nagi will be, when we get there." He assured the boy.

"And Mal-Terra?"

The man blinked again. The boy had already been there, why would he want to go back? "It's not very safe. There are black holes littering the Abyss."

"The Obsidian Abyss is safe than you think." Ai said dully. "There are a lot of secrets that you don't realize that protect Mal-Terra"

Aine grinned, not believing the child. "Like?"

"There are almost black holes in the Abyss. Mal-Terra would have been sucked in long ago, if there were."

"But-"

"They're Wormholes."

"That's only a theory."

"Would you like to test it out someday?" The boy's eyebrow quirked up.

That sounded like a challenge to Ai. He could only grin at the child. "Of course."

After that, Aine pulled the covers back over Ai's head, the way he liked, and drifted off to sleep. Next stop earth, after that he's just be following the stars until he landed somewhere new and exciting.


	19. Part 4 Chapter 3

_**I won't make some Lame excuse for not updating. I noticed I only had four (now three) chapters left and started to flake out. But I have other stories to write, so I might as well finish this sooner rather than later.**_

 _ **This chapter is also kind of really short. Sorry...**_

 ** _Crystalized Flowers- Thank you for reviewing. First, I'd say most, but lol I do try to use them all (You'll met someone else this chapter). Second, my beta is now sulking so if i do make any big mistakes like last chapter, feel free to point them out and Ill fix them when I revamp this story._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _5959_

There were things that a normal fifteen year old boy loved to do, then there were things that fifteen year old Ai loved to do. And for some reason, it always seemed to scare one Aine Kisaragi. After a decade with the strange little alien, one might expect that he would have gotten used to it. But that statement would be incorrect. Because Ai was constantly thinking of new things to experiment with.

His favorite was jumping ship. Whenever Aine wasn't looking, he'd open the port and jump out. The young cyan haired male loved just floating among the stars. And since the scientist was a human, he couldn't just follow the child out. He'd have to gear up. But by the time he was ready to chase, Ai would already be coming in of his own free will.

Aine sighed. That had already happened twice since they passed the planet Pluto, which was only half an hour ago. "Ai, how many times have I told you not to just o off on your own."

"A million." He frowned.

Aine found himself preparing for the lecture. Usually he waited until he was back at the control panel, but knowing the boy, he would disappear before arriving to the room. "rules are in place for a reason."

"I came back before the wormhole, didn't I?"

"Y-yes." The older man faltered.

"Then I don't see the problem."

The scientist tilted his head. How could he not see the problem? "If something were to happen-"

"I'm tougher than you. I'd be fine." Ai interrupted. He was sick of Aine's constant worry and all-too-watchful eyes having the need to be on his every minute of every day. All he wanted was a little freedom.

"Fine." The older man let out a sigh. He knew that he was rebellious at Ai's age, but he was sure he wasn't that bad. Of course how could he be? He never had the chance to jump off a spaceship at that age. He was still trying to prove that there was life on other planets besides Earth. "I hope to be passing Cluna G by morning, so get some sleep."

"We haven't been there in a while." Ai mused with a yawn.

"We might stop."

The cyan haired teen waited for him to explain but was only granted a wiry frown. "Okay, bed." He repeated, placing his hands on the back of his head as he walked away.

* * *

Cluna G, district 1 section R street 8 was perhaps the most beautiful place in the whole KF-877 galaxy. Naturally KF wasn't it's real name, but for Ai and Aine it was far easier to pronounce than how ever the people of that galaxy said it.

District 1 was more of a residential area, with ranch style houses. Sidewalks littered the area, insuring safety from the families. They had a lot of greenery and parks for younger child to play in. There were some businesses in district 1, but mostly little shops or cafes. It all depended on the section.

Section R reminded Aine of Japan a little. Although it was a lot less busy. But on the eight street of section R was a little cafe that served the sweetest milk tea. Each little sip reminded him of home. It wasn't called milk tea, though. But luckily for him, the owner and his twin boys always understood what he meant.

His eyes peered around, after sliding the door open, only to find one of the teens working the counter. All of the tables were empty, so once the tiny bell chimed the teen looked over at him. It may have been empty but it still felt warm and homey. The rusted browns of the wall and the dark woods of the talbe and chaired gave it a rustic feel.

"Hello." He paused, never being able to tell the two apart.

"Tokiya." He murmured. His hands already grabbing for a cup.

"That's right." He smiled shyly.

Ai popped his head in once Aine had moved out of his way. "We came all the way here for some tea."

"Is that a problem?"

The teen's cyan eyes moved over to the boy already preparing their drinks. "I guess not."

"Good." Aine nodded to a table, then called to Tokiya. "When is your dad getting back?"

"Soon." He answered plainly.

There was silence for a moment while the dark haired boy filled the cup and brought it over. "If it's about her, I can tell you some stories while you wait." He offered quietly.

Aine's eyes sparked with excitement. "That would be great."

"Who?" Ai looked at his adoptive curiously.

Aine nodded to Tokiya. "The tiny conquer of worlds."

Ai rolled his eyes at the dramatic title.

"In the last two years she taken over nine different cities on six different planets."

"That sounds a bit exaggerated." Ai said.

"I thought so to." Aine admitted. "Until I met her."

"When was this?" The cyan haired teen asked.

"About five years ago."

* * *

"She sounds interesting." Ai said, pulling on the rope that held their ship to the port.

"Who?" He asked.

"That fighter girl."

"Oh." he nodded. "Her. She has a name."

"Really?" He mused.

"Haruka." Aine grabbed the rope from him and started up the ramp. "I wish I could have talked to her longer than just those few minutes at that party. But Reiji kept complaining about how I had been putting off taking him to earth for years and you were upset that night."

"Was I?"

Aine laughed. "You didn't like the thought of a bunch of people going to the same place. You kept telling Reiji how weak I was and that I would be eaten by some wild animal."

Ai tilted his head and followed his dad up the ramp and into the metal ship. He could see that being a fear of his. "But you did get to met her."

"Oh yes, and she was very unique." Aine nodded. "I'd love the chance to see her again and hear how much of her plans she accomplished."

"Her plans?"

"Maybe when you met her, she'll tell you everything." The scientist smiled.

"Unless I can get it out of you first." The younger one smirked. He cracked his knuckles at the challenge. Little did he realize how soon he would find her secrets out.


	20. Part 4 Chapter 4

**_Crystalized Flowers I'd like to thank you for pushing me through this. You may not realize how awesome you are for reviewing all the time. I really do appreciate it._**

 ** _With only one chapter left to type out (I successfully talked my beta into typing the epilogue and she finished that three days ago) I see this being done around Valentine's day._**

 ** _SK_**

 _Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _5974_

The ship lingered, drifting to the gravitational pull in the dark reaches of space. The crew had been asking where to go and what to do, but their fearless leader (Who always knew what to do) seemed stumped. In fact, since ordering to leave from Lenus, she hadn't talked to anyone. She had locked, yes locked, herself away in her favorite room and had refused to open the door. She had even turned Tomochika away. None of the crew knew exactly what she was doing in there, where they should be heading, or even when she would willingly come out. So they drifted through space, readying themselves for the moment she burst through the door, with her usual obey-me-or-die attitude, barking orders for where they should go next.

But it had been two days since they left Lenus.

Even if the crew had started to doubt her for her actions at the Abyss, Syo could tell they were worried about her. Haruka had always taken care of them, She always knew what she was doing and what was best for everyone. But now.. Now she was lost within her own mind. Syo had never seen her like that. And as he asked around, he found that no one had ever seen her like that. Haruka was a decisive woman. It wasn't like her to second guess herself.

"I don't know what to do." Tomo threw her hands up, the spoon in her hand almost sent to the corner of the room from her loose grip on it. She allowed her upper half to fall against the metal table, bust slightly pushing the mixture of fruits in the dish further onto the table. "She never acts like this. Masato wanting to leave must have done some damage."

"So he's really gone?" Otoya mumbled, his red eyes cautiously watching the dish that Tomochika had been nibbling on. The way his hair stood on end while he watched it reminded Syo of how a cat's tail puffed out when they were threatened. He sat strangely, even though Syo knew that the redhead knew how to sit on a chair properly, with his hands latched on tightly to the bottom of the cushion.

"I wish she would let one of us in." Syo sighed, trying to ignore Otoya's strange behavior, as he usually did.

"I've tried." She stabbed at the long yellow fruit. "But she refused to see me. If I didn't know better I would say that she's mad at me."

"She's not?" The shorter of the boys asked.

"No way. I've stayed out of her way. I swear I haven't done anything wrong..." She smirked teasingly. "This time."

Otoys's red brow arched at that. "This time?"

"No body's perfect." The woman shrugged.

"Well if she's mad at you then she's mad at me too." Syo said. He let his head fall to the table in disappointment. "I tried to talk to her before coming here."

"And?" Both redheads looked at him and asked together.

He tilted his head to the side so he could see Otoya's face. "She didn't even answer me. If I didn't already know she was hiding in there, I would have thought it was empty."

"Have you tried yet?" Tomochika turned to the changeling, ignoring the blonde's apparent guilt for not being able to talk properly to his mother figure.

"I tried shortly after she locker herself up." He sighed.

"How are we supposed to get her out when not even one of us can talk to her?" She tossed her hair to the side and pulling her food back.

"I can't help it." Otoya narrowed his eyes. "What is that thing you're eating?"

Tomo was taken back from surprise. "It's called a banana-split."

"It's weird." He practically hissed at it as she moved it closer to him so he could have a taste.

"It's not!" She moved it back, as if she were offended for the dish. "It's like super good and really sweet."

"Sweet?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Oh come on." She pouted. "I know I've given you things that are sweet before."

He looked confused. "If you are referring to those tasteless-"

"I think you guys are getting off topic." Syo finally spoke up.

"Sorry." They both apologized.

"What are we going to do about her?"

"Who?" Ai's voice came from behind him.

Syo turned to look at him. He nodded to the last empty chair at their round table. "Haruka."

"What about her?"

"She's locked herself in the observatory." Tomo scooped up a piece of her banana. She teased Otoya by hovering the spoon in front of him before biting into it.

"Really?" He didn't look very shocked. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"No, that didn't even cross our minds." Syo said, sarcasm dripping like venom from his voice. "Of course we tried."

His cyan eyes glanced over the other three at the table. With a sigh he pushed himself out of the seat that he had just sat in. "I guess I have no choice."

"You think you can get her out?" Otoya asked, far more sincerely than Syo would have.

"I don't think I can. I know it." Ai's confidence irked Syo. He hadn't even been with them for a whole year and he thought he was that important to Haruka? She wasn't even letting Tomochika in. Why would she let him?

* * *

All Ai had to do was knock lightly on the door and tell Haruka to let him in. It astonished everyone around when the simple sentence 'It's Ai, let me in" lead to the opening of the door. He didn't need to look back to see the astonishment on their faces or the look of pure agony on Syo's, who thought that she wouldn't open up for him. Hearing the gasps was enough to satisfy Ai.

"You really have everyone worried, Captain."

"I'm tired." She sighed, not turning to him. Then again, to expect her to look at him and not at the stars was something beyond a miracle.

"I can imagine. I've heard that you've been in here for two days." He shifted from one foot to another, not leaving the metallic balcony-like area. "I was wondering why I hadn't been seeing you very much."

"You still make jokes at a time like this. I'm telling you I'm sick of searching for something I'll never find." Her voice hard. "Are you okay with that?"

"Are you?" He folded his arms over his chest. "I can always find another person who wants to explore everything."

"Are you telling me I'm expendable?" He could see her eyeing him using the reflection off the glass.

"I'm saying that it's not hard to find someone to travel with."

There was a pause between them. It didn't make Ai uncomfortable, in fact, he thought it was good that she was thinking about it. What was best for her, for everyone she looked after? Revenge wasn't the best thing to pursue when so many counted on her. And now she had people actually looking for her, or rather for Syo. He wanted her to think about what was best for everyone.

And that was what she was doing.

Whether she continued traveling or decided to settled down in a far corner of the universe, it was completely up to her.

'I want to finish what I started." She sighed after a long moment.

Ai shook his head at her. Of course that was her answer. He should have knows. "So where do you go from here?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "I don't suppose you would give me any hints?"

"Hints, no. I'll do better."

That made her turn. Her puzzled look met with his emotionless face. "You..."

"It's not like it comes for free. Who do you take me for?"

Haruka's expression faded into one of concern. "What do you want?"

"Go talk to everyone. i'm sick of this stifling feeling of anxiety."

"Where are we headed?"

He unfolded his arms so he could tap his chin. "I've always wanted to see Kasmeon."

"I've heard that name before." Haruka started her swift walk over the glass and up the stairs, door already opening.

Ai couldn't help but wonder how she did that. He didn't see a remote in her hands. "Yeah, I bet you have."

Her stern look returned to her eyes by the time she made it to the fully opened door. He could hear her already barking orders as she passed him. Haruka, the one that her crew respected, feared, and loved was back. All she needed was a little push in the right direction.

* * *

It was a day and a half before it happened. Ai knew it was bound to at some point. But that darn little blonde had a way of doing things his own way. He actually made Ai blink in surprise when he asked the question the cyan haired male knew was coming.

"What did you say to her?"

It wasn't like it caught Ai off guard or anything. He hadn't stopped him while he was walking. He hadn't cornered him in a room with nowhere to run and tried to be threatening. It was a simple question with those intense blue eyes as they passed in the hall. He wasn't standing in the way, in fact he was smashed against the wall as he tried to clean a mysterious spot off the floor. Ai cringed, not even wanting to know what Syo was trying to scrub off the floor.

"Nothing much." He shrugged.

"You said something important." Syo looked down, his bangs hiding his eyes which, by Ai's guess, no longer shown fiercely. "You had have. She let you in."

He rolled his cyan eyes. "Did you ever think that a strong-willed person, such as Haruka, wouldn't want the people who look up to her the most see her lost and struggling?"

"But!" His head flung up hard enough that Ai thought the boy gave himself whiplash. "But we're family."

"If my family were around I won't want them to see me like that." Ai shrugged again. He didn't really understand why Syo didn't understand. Maybe it was because he was just like Haruka.

For a moment, just a single second, Syo's face softened. He almost looked sad for Ai. Then he put on his normal frown. "Well... Haru seems to trust you, so I guess you can't be that bad."

"I'm not." He held in his laugh. He knew that comment would frustrate the small blonde. "I'm a good person with asshole tendencies."

Syo's cheeks flared."I take it back. you are a bad person. But it looks like we're stuck with each other."

"Until I continue walking." Ai said, his voice completely mono-toned.

Syo's whole face turned red. "It's not like I think of you as part of our family now. It's more like you're an annoying guest that won't leave!"

"Whatever shorty." The taller male walked off, his hands behind his head, trying to hide the foreign smile and light red tint that, for an unknown reason, appeared on his face.


	21. Part 4 Chapter 5

_**Crystalized Flowers I think I can explain the Ai\Haru relationship. Ai knew a little bit of Haruka's plan, so he just implied that he knew more than he did and had Haru tell him everything without her even realizing. It was a cut-away scene back in chapter 10. And thank you for trying this story even though Aus aren't really your thing. Truth be told, I would love to write something Canon but I just can't stand Haruka's personality.**_

 ** _SK_**

 _Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _5974_

Haruka pushed her hair back into place. This place, Kasmeon, was so... familiar. She couldn't place why, it was just a gnawing nostalgia that she couldn't shake. But that feeling was soon replaced with annoyance as she pushed her hair back into place once again. The wind had picked up, and being in space had made her more accustomed to not having to fix her hair every three seconds.

The heels of her shoes sunk into the green grass. She grimaced upon pulling one foot out and seeing the soft dirt that stained her favorite pair of shoes. Shaking her head she said to herself. "It's just mud."

"Isn't this place great!" Syo exclaimed, leaping out of the door, not even caring to use the ramp. He landed with a soft thud next to Haruka. His blue eyes looked up at her in wonder. "How come we've never been here before?"

"I didn't know about it." She said, half lying. Even before meeting Ai, she had heard of the planet. But it seemed to far from anything to be of any use to her. And if things weren't useful, then she didn't need them. To her, that made perfect sense.

His eyebrows went up as a smirk graced his face. "Something the great Haru didn't know about."

Her features hardened. "What have I told you about calling me that when others are around?"

"Not to." He pouted.

Her lips pressed together in a thin line. She didn't want to yell at him, but having a little kid call her by such a cutie nickname in front of everyone... It made her seem soft. And while she did have a small, almost nonexistent, soft spot for children she wasn't going to be questioned or called out on it.

Raising a hand to her brow she looked forwards. There was nothing but plain fields of grass for as far as the eye could see. "Is there even a town here?"

"There wasn't even a port." The blonde commented.

"I didn't think there would be, but I did expect us to be near a town." She muttered more to herself than the teen. Her sharp gold eyes then looked at him, while he just idly stared at the grass. "Go find Ai for me."

It didn't sound like an order, but it definitely was a question. Syo smiled at her. "Sure."

She didn't watch him scamper off to find the cyan haired male. She just watched the pale sun as she bit her lip. Her voice all but muted asked a single question. "Where are you, Van?"

* * *

Tomochika stood with her hands on her hips. They had landed half an hour ago and Haruka had yet to come get her. Usually the shorter woman would make sure it was safe then let Tomo out on the town with Syo. This time was different apparently. Syo had been allowed out when they first landed, Otoya had been napping at the time and didn't care much about the new world they were on. And Ai had locked himself in his room.

What was with people locking themselves in their rooms recently? Didn't they have anything better to do than sulk all the time? It was really starting to play on her nerves. She knew that with Ai it was probably nothing, but when Haruka locked her self up, the whole ship's mood became heavy. Maybe it was just her, or maybe it was the blonde who had been pounding on Ai's door for the last twenty minutes, but her mood was turning sour.

"Haruka wasn't to see you." He beat his fist against the door endlessly.

"Syo!" Tomochika finally called out, unable to take the noise.

He looked back at her with his deep blue eyes, apologetically. They always looked darker when he was frustrated. "Sorry, but he won't come out, and we can't find the port."

Her anger washed away and was replaced with confusion. "Can't find the port?"

"Of course not!" Ai's voice came from inside. "This planet doesn't have a place for spaceships to port. Next to nobody comes here."

"Then what do we do?" Syo asked, his fist flattening against the painted wood.

"You'll have to walk."

"Walk?"

"Yeah." Ai opened the door, catching the blond and pushing him back upright as he almost went down when the door swung in. He had a smug look on his pale face. "I guess for someone as spoiled as you, that might be a foreign concept."

"I'm not spoiled!" Syo shouted.

"I beg to differ." Ai leaned forward to meet Syo at eye level. "You look like the type who gets everything he wishes for, and still has to want for more."

Tomochika snickered at the accusation. He wasn't entirely wrong. But an upset glance from Syo made her stop. "Come on Syo, I'll walk with you. We can leave mister grouchy here."

"Thank you." Ai commented with a heavy sigh.

Syo turned to the long haired female. "I'm not spoiled, right?"

"O-of course not." She gave him a pat on the back. "Let's grab Otoya, too. Can you go find him for me?"

"Ugh!" He threw his hands in the arm, storming off. "What is today? Syo has to find everyone day?"

"Spoiled." Ai laughed.

"Don't let him hear you." Tomo grinned. "Are you coming to the town?"

"I've been there before."

"And...?"

"No." He deadpanned.

"Fine, suit yourself. Everyone else is going though. To scout and stuff."

"I promise that you guys won't find anything you want here. It's a small planet with a small town."

"Says you." She waved to him, walking away. Once his door was closed again, she closed her eyes and mumbled. "There's always something that can be sold."

* * *

As it turned out, at the bottom of the valley (on the opposite side of the ship from where Haruka had originally observed) was the small town of Embar. And when Ai had told them small, he meant it. There only looked to be a few hundred people in the valley.

"What are we even doing here?" Syo whined for the millionth time.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" Haruka snapped in response.

He pouted. "You don't have to be mean."

"Can you blame her?" Otoya yawned. "First you were excited and wouldn't stop talking because of it. Now you're upset and won't stop talking because of it."

"Who asked you?" Syo playfully shoved him while they walked.

"So what do you expect to find here?" Otoya looked back at Haruka.

"That's a secret." Her golden eyes met with Tomochika's red ones. "You guys just have fun."

"Fun?" Syo raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Really? Who are you and what have you done to our Haruka?"

"Next planet we go to you're grounded." She said strictly.

His face fell. "I was kidding!"

"I wasn't." She frowned. "You two have fun, don't get anyone's way, and leave my business to me."

"Fine." Both boys sighed.

At the entrance to the town there was a sign, though no one could read it, welcoming any visitors. That was where the crew split from Haruka and Tomochika. That was where Otoya and Syo broke away, after seeing an exciting food shop.

"Haruka?" Tomochika looked at her. "Do you know what we're doing here?"

She nodded. "From a very reliable source, I've learned that one of the residents of the planet we are looking for fled here."

"Planet? I thought you had found Van, with how excited you were and all."

"No, but this is the closest I've come to finding him in years."

Tomochika bit her lip. On one hand, she wanted Haruka to find Van, so they could both get some closure. But she fear that if they did, everything would just end. What reason would they have to continue the life they lived until now, if they weren't searching for Van. Haruka had a family back on their home planet. What if she wanted to return to them.

"Do you think this person will help you?"

"They will." Haruka sounded so sure of it. Like there was no way she wouldn't get what she wanted.

"How can you tell?"

"Because Kasmeon is a planet of healing."

"Did Ai tell you that?"

"He did." Haruka confirmed. "Now help me look."

Glancing around, to see a few people on the street, Tomochika asked. "Who are we looking for?"

"His name is Ringo."

"My name is Ringo." A rather girly voice said, as (what looked like a) she walked up to them. In her hands she held several varieties of flowers. Her long yellow sweater fell just passed her butt.

"O-Oh?" Haruka stood stunned.

"Is there something you wanted with me?" The pink haired sweater-wearing person asked.

"Yes!" She shouted. Realizing how loud she was, and that she was drawing unwanted attention. She gave a little cough and started again. "It's about your home planet."

Both women watched as the other person's face fell. "Well then..." Ringo said. "Would you both like to come back to my house. My son Shion is waiting for me."

"Sure." Tomochika smiled happily before Haruka could say anything.

.

They entered the brick house, only to be greeted by a paled hair boy. "Welcome home father."

"Father?" Haruka whispered to Tomo.

To that Tomo could only shrug. "Uh?"

"And you brought friends." He said with a smile. "I'll make tea."

"That isn't-" Haruka tried.

"That sounds lovely." Tomo interrupted her with a nudge to the ribs.

"Come on, both of you." Ringo ushered them in.

Ringo sat in a pale, flower patterned chair, motioning the others to sit across from him. "What would you like to know?"

Haruka eyed Tomo as they sat. "Everything."

"Sharda was a very beautiful place. Lush a full of life." He started, closing his eyes so he could picture it in his mind. "Most people who arrived from outside world thought that they had landed in a paradise. But it wasn't. Underneath all of the beauty was something ugly."

"Ugly?" Tomochika tilted her head.

"It's like Sharda it's self harbored a monster."

"Can you tell us where this Sharda is?" Haruka asked.

"In the Betra Star System."

"I've never heard of that." Tomochika said.

Ringo blinked at them. "It's on the other side of the Obsidian Abyss."

Haru's jaw went slack. "The other..."

"Side?" Tomo finished.

"Well you didn't think that was it did you?" Ringo laughed. "Of course there's another side."

Haruka stood. "Let's go Tomo."

"Already?"

"Yes!"

"Tea's ready." Shion called, bringing the cups in on a small silver tray. but both redheads ignored him and continued on their way.

* * *

"Haru?" Tomochika voiced as they entered the ship. "Shouldn't we get everyone back here?"

"Uh." The smaller one stumbled, then straightening again. "You start the ship, I'll deal with that."

"Okay."

Haruka only watched her until she turned with the hall. They didn't have time to gather everyone back to the ship. Besides, Sharda was probably dangerous.

She smiled, wiping her hands on the hem of her dark dress. Finally, she was going to find Van. Half of her couldn't wait.

"Haruka?" Ai popped his head out from around the corner, where Tomochika had just gone. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "What are you doing back?"

"We found out here he lives, where his home is."

"Who?"

"Van." Her face looked a little crazed.

"You found out he lives on Sharda."

She smirked. "Well now I know for certain. And once Tomo starts the ship, we're leaving."

"Wait." He said, realizing his mistake. "What about everyone else?"

"We'll come back for them." She shrugged him off, bumping his shoulder as she passed.

Ai grabbed her shoulder. "You can't leave them. At least go back for Syo and Otoya, they're still kids."

Haruka looked back at him, anger flaring in her eyes. "Don't tell me what to do."

Her eyes lingered on the the door of the observatory. Ai pushed his way passed her, trying to block her from reaching the control room.

"I'm just saying-"

"It you are going to keep putting in your two cents and try to distract me from what I need to do, then you can wait inside." She gave him a shove. He teetered back on his heels before falling onto the metal landing of their favorite room. She smirked at him before closing the door. "We can talk about what's right later. For now, I have to find Van."

"No wait-" By the time the cyan haired male got back to his feet, he was locked inside the glass room.

After he was removed from her path, it took no time at all to reach her destination. The door opened to Tomochika leaning over the navigation's panel.

"Oh, Haruka." She didn't look up. Everyone knew the sound of Haruka's boots. "I didn't expect you back so soon. Where are the boys?"

"Change of plan." She said, flicking a switch and starting the engine herself. "We're are leaving now."

"But what about-" She looked over her shoulder.

"Don't worry." Haruka shot her a brilliant smile. "Trust me."

"O-okay."

After Tomochika's nod, Haruka lifted the ship off the tiny planet, grateful for once that it was so near the Abyss. Her mind was so set on where she was going that time passed her so quickly. She didn't even listen when Tomo tried to talk to her again.

"Haruka!"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Haruka, what's really going on?"

"Don't worry about it."

Tomochika slammed her hand down. "Haruka this is serious! I want some answers."

"Look, there it is."

Tomo drew her red eyes away from Haruka to look out the small window. But just as her eyes saw the brown planet, the ship hitched forward.

"What are you doing?" The longer haired woman yelled.

"It's not me." Haruka looked up at her. "It's the gravitational pull."

"What?"

The ship hitched again, they were being pulled in faster, tilting the ship up throwing both redheads up as they plummeted to the planet's ground. The feeling of falling filling them before they blacked out.

 _Part IV_

 _Trace the Stars_

 _End_


	22. Part 5

_Part V_

 _Tracing Stardust: Epilogue_

 _Year 5974_

Haruka didn't care how her body felt after the impact. Her body, mush like Tomochika, had been hurled forward in the violent lurch and throwing into the wide reinforced window. If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't breathe the nonexistent air in space the place where her and her best friend landed probably would have shattered into a million pieces. Thankfully, because of her need for oxygen, they would both walk away with only some bruises and nothing to major.

Her eyes blinked open. Her shaking hands lifted her face from the glass, allowing her to see that her ship was tilted sideways from the crash. If only she hadn't been in such a rush to enter the atmosphere then they probably would have landed correctly. Golden eyes widened at the sound of Tomochika groaning.

"H-Haru?" She sat up, rubbing the back of her rather sore head. Her eyes dazed, confused, looked at her friend. "Where are we?"

Haruka couldn't help but to smile. She had waited for so long for this moment. She wasn't even sure how long she had been searching, but finally. Finally she was at her destination. "Sharda!"

"Sharda?" Tomo's voice quizzical. "I've never heard of it."

"It's said to be the planet of demons." Haruka's golden eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've been searching and praying for so long-"

"Haru?"

"Who knew?" She chuckled evilly, more to herself than her friend. Her hands clenched into fists against the glass. Her pupils the size of a pinprick. "Who knew he had the answer this whole time? I should have known from the beginning that he didn't find me just to go back to Earth."

"You mean Ai?" The long haired redhead wasn't following. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Don't you get it?" She turned her head sharply. A foreign look of utter hatred etched into every inch, every craves of her face. "I can finally be saved too!"

"Haruka..." Tomo scooted across the floor, wall, away from her. "I don't understand."

The shorter girl turned her head away, her crazed smile fading. "You could never understand."

She forced herself up onto shaking legs. Swaying slightly she made her way out of the control room. She had to see it. The planet of demons, the planets where Van was. She had dreamed of so long how it would look when she arrived. She wondered when he would come to take her away, when would he save her from the life she was living. She all but jumped out the metal ship, landing on the unknown world, hopes being dashed at the sight before her.

The grass beneath her ship, what little of it that wasn't ripped from the ground as they skirted across the soft ground was brown. Not a beautiful color of bronze like Prinda, it looked like dead grass from Earth. Withered and dying. Trees, what little there were, looked as if they had been scorched. Even the single bush that she saw looked as if it had died ages ago and nobody have removed it from the ground.

"Where is he?" She cried out, hoping that someone would hear her. She held the arm that she landed on close. "Where..."

"Haruka." Tomo said, falling against the door frame, trying to make her way over to the younger female. She had never seen her friend so upset, but she was getting the feeling that there was a lot about Haruka that she had yet to see. After all these year, she still knew so little. She wasn't even sure why they had started this journey. Was it for revenge, or did Haruka have some alternate motive.

"He has to be here." She yelled. Turning sharply back to the ship, she looked absolutely murderous. "Ai better hope he's still alive in there. Because if Van's not here I'm going to double kill him."

Before she could even form the sentence she was going to say, Tomo saw movement from behind the dead bush. She raised her arm so she could point out the person she didn't recognize behind her. "Haru, look."

Haruka turned her head slowly to see what Tomochika was pointing at. Behind her stood a child, a very familiar looking child, with salmon hair and stormy gray eyes.

"Nagi?" She had barely remembered the name.

He nodded before taking a step back and spinning on his heels. He looked over his shoulder once at them, to see if they were going to follow him, then started to walk off. She found it odd that he didn't even talk to her, he had been somewhat chatty on Earth, but after a moment she realized she didn't care. All of her thoughts about everything not concerning what she came to the planet for vanished when one single thought escaped her lips.

"He's going to take me to Van." Haruka sounded impossibly happy. She all but ran after the boy.

"Van." Tomochika whispered, finding the strength to jump down. Struggling to stay on her feet, she followed more slowly.

* * *

Syo looked at the place where the ship had been. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, in the green grass that reminded him of earth's grass. He had just come back to the ship after buying a pastry that he wanted to share with Tomo, since Otoya didn't seem to like them. But the ship, Haruka, was just gone. And now the only thing that was keeping him grounded and from crying was the warmth of Otoya's hand on his back. He wasn't sure how Otoya could keep it together so well. The redhead had been with Haruka for longer than him, how did he not feel betrayed? How could he still be so strong? Would the others be strong when they found out that Haruka left them too? They didn't even know, they were still looking around that tiny valley town. How could he tell them? Should he even?

"Otoya?" Syo looked up at him. His blue eyes shimmered with tears. "Do you think she'll come back for us?"

Otoya's face darkened. "Do you want me to lie to you?"

Syo shook his head, his scraped knees finally moving away from the cold concrete beneath them. his hand reached up to latch onto the white shirt that Otoya constantly borrowed from him. It was far to big for Syo anyways, the redhead really should have considered it his. "If you lie to me, who will I have left?"

"She's not coming back." Otoya whispered. "She's always on the move, and those who get left behind don't matter anymore."

Syo didn't understand. She had left everyone but Tomochika and Ai. But it probably wasn't intentional that she took the cyan haired male. He hadn't left the ship, he had said he didn't feel well. He hadn't thought that it was weird that she wanted everyone to have a break especially after Lenus. She wasn't a take two vacations within the same five years kind of person, never mind the same year.

"But..." Otoya continued. "I think she finally found what she was looking for."

"What-" Syo muttered far to quiet for Otoya to hear the rest.

"Huh?"

"What about us?" He tried not to cry. His grip on Otoya's shirt tightened. "We can't just stay on Kasmeon. My dad will find us."

"It's pretty out of the way. Not many people like to even travel near the Abyss. I don't think they'll look here for a while."

"Th-that wasn't my point."

"I know." Otoya yawned. "Hey, come on, it's been a day since she left. Let's go find somewhere to sleep."

A day. It had only been a day? Why did it feel like it had been so much longer?

Syo nodded, brushing the tears away with his free hand. "Yeah."

Otoya, easily changed himself into his kit form. He knew from years of experience that Syo liked to snuggle when he was upset. He liked to listen to the soft beats of Otoya's heart. So even if it would temporarily make him feel better, that was good enough.

"Syo Kurusu."

Syo grabbed for Otoya, before looking up at the voice. He didn't recognize the person above him. But that's how he expected things to go. He dad would never personally come to get him. He was to busy. And his brother and mother probably still had no idea that he was even alive. His father wasn't the kind of person to tell everyone what he was doing before doing it. He was a man of action. Even if that action was simply sending someone else after him.

Syo's blue hues looked up at the man. He felt the other put a hand on his should and start to lead him away.

* * *

Ai groaned. His eyes didn't want to open, his body didn't want to move. What was the point? Unlike, silly story books that he had read as a child, he still knew exactly what was going on. It wasn't like, the moment his head made contact with the glass he instantly forgot where he was or what had happened for a few minutes. No, he knew that once he opened his eyes, the doors to the observatory would be closed and placed far to high above his head to get out. For not thinking things through, Haruka managed to put him right where she wanted him. With the ship on it's side, like it was, their favorite room was like a prison. The glass would be to slick to even try to climb up the sides, and there was no way he could reach the metal staircase with a single jump.

"This is great." He mumbled to himself still laying still. "Just great."

Opening his disoriented cyan eyes, it was just as he expected. Doors to far out of his reach. He reached his hand up to touch his throbbing head. He drew back at the feeling of warm. Was that blood?

"Haruka." He rolled his eyes, fighting hard against the on coming sleepiness.

He knew she wouldn't answer. For all he knew she was... No. There was no way someone so determined could die so easily. But he doubted that she would let him out, even if she was within hearing distance of his weak and feeble yells.

 _"If this were one of the times we crash landed, you would try harder to get out."_

"Shut up." He said. He didn't like that he was hearing this voice again after so long.

 _"Do you remember the last time I crashed our ship?"_ The voice giggled. _"It must have been hell getting off that planet without me."_

"Stop it." He covered his ears, staring straight up at the doors. "I don't want to remember that."

 _"Oh, come on."_ It, he, tsked at Ai. _"You've always wanted to see this place."_

"No."

 _"So much so that-"_

"No." Ai repeated.

 _"You broke our promise."_

"I didn't. She figured it out on her own." He his grip on his head tightened, trying to block out as much sound as he could. "No, I didn't break our promise Aine."

 _"You did."_ The face appeared in front of his. It matched his perfectly. The face that he modeled himself after. _"But I'm not mad."_

"Of course you're not."

 _"I will be if you die here without actually seeing Sharda. You can't wait for her to come back to save you."_

"Why would Haruka come back for me?"

 _"And those two poor boys lost their family because you had to say something."_

"Back to blaming me, huh?"

 _"Let's go to Prinda next."_ The scientist's face floated up to the door.

Now, Ai didn't believe in ghosts. He knew this was a delusion from the injury on his head.

 _"Yeah, Prinda is nice this time of year."_

"I wouldn't know. Syo might." Ai mused. "Next time I see him, I should ask him."

* * *

Haruka froze. The wide grin on her face faded. She wanted to grab Nagi by his collar and force him to tell her that everything was just a prank. But she knew that it wasn't. Why would he be here for such a stupid reason? She let him go, after losing her will to strangle the brat. Backing up a few steps she could help but to finally ask.

"What the hell is this?" Her nails trailed down the side of her face, leaving four lines of red streaks. She sank to her knees in front of the crystallized coffin. It was such a deep a brilliant color that she could only make out the shape of a body inside, but not him. SHe couldn't see him. Her voice could barely be heard. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Tomochika, who came limping up from behind them, looked on sadly. "I guess we can't do anything now."

Haruka snapped. Her eyes angry. "This was never about you! You've been in my way this whole time!"

"Then what is this about?" Tomochika cried. "I don't understand you anymore. I haven't since you left everyone behind."

"You stole him from me!" She yelled. Haruka forced herself up, tears streamed down her face like rapid rivers. "I prayed for him, day after day, for years. And he chose you!"

"I didn't steal anyone."

"You don't even know who Van was."

"I don't." Tomochika admitted, placing her hand over her heart. "But I've known he's been gone for a long time. I thought for a long time that you gave this up."

"How could I? You'll never understand why this was so important."

"Then explain it to me." Tomochika said with a gentle smile.

"Where do I start?"

"Anywhere would be fine." Tomo knew she didn't need to answer her but did anyways.

"I was born in a small tribe of sandsea people on the planet Verune." Haruka closed her eyes. "I grew up with my little brother hearing the stories of monsters and demons that would come in the night and steal children away."

"Van?"

"No." Haruka looked up, her eyes dark. "Real monsters look just like normal, or whatever normal is. I guess the ones I'm talking about would go by the surname of Nanami."

Tomochika didn't even blink. Sure, she wanted to call Haruka a lair, but after all that she had seen she just couldn't. After all the things that she had done, it wasn't hard to believe that her best friend was actually from some planet she had never heard of.

"So when I was taken, I prayed to the only person I ever thought could save me. He was like a legend on my world. People said that if you wished on the dust of a fallen star then he might appear and grant your wish. So I prayed and prayed,hoping he would one day take me home to my brother, my family. And when he came..." She trailed off.

"He didn't choose you."

"No, no he didn't."

Tomo's face fell into a frown. "So what did you plan to do? Come here and make him see that you didn't need him?"

Haruka turned away. "Not exactly."

"Then what?"

Her pale hands clenched at the dried grass. Her eyes grazed the coffin made completely of glass before staring at the cold ground again. "I was going to leave your blood stained body here along side his."

"Haru." Tomochika took a step back. "How could you?"

Throwing her head up, to finally met the taller woman's eyes she yelled. "What do you want? An apology? I'm sorry I dragged you across the universe just to fall short of my actual goal. I wouldn't blame you if you killed me."

"I-I couldn't..."

"And if you want to be mad, be mad at Ai too. When he forced my plans out of my on Prinda he didn't even care if you died, just as long as he came here." She spat. "He's just as bad as I am. He'd let me kill everything, just to be able to see a dying planet."

There was a small gasp from the pink haired boy, but other than that complete silence.

"I want you to hate me." Haruka finally sobbed. Her golden eyes shimmered like a million suns as she stared up at the other woman. "I want you to hate me so much, it hurts."

Tomochika bit her lip. "All of this? All of the people you've hurt... All the lives you destroyed... All because you were jealous?"

"Like I said," Haruka gritted her teeth. "you could never understand."

"I guess not." Tomochika said coldly. Shaking her head slightly, she held her hand out and tiptoed closer. "Come on."

"No." Haru drew her knees up to her chest. "I'm not leaving anymore."

"What about Syo and Otoya?"

"They'll be fine." Haruka shrugged. "They are probably half way to Prinda by now."

"You didn't..."

"It doesn't matter." She sounded dead inside. Eyes dull and became lifeless. She even let her hands go limp by her side. "The ship is ruined. And there's no reason to continue."

"No reason?" Tomo repeated, stunned. Her fury slowly growing. "I never thought you were so weak-willed. I thought you were a strong person. Where is that person? Where did she go? Cause she's the one that I need."

"She's gone."

She was right, the strong person wasn't the person that was before her. Somewhere between their ship and Embar she had disappeared. This pathetic person before her... How could she just give up like that? Tomochika still had questions that she wanted answer too. She couldn't get them if Haruka was just going to give up on life.

Tomochika clicked her tongue. "We'll see."

* * *

 _5979_

Syo brushed the dirt off his brow, legs crossed and bare against the grass. One of the things that he loved to do, since being forced back to Prinda, was garden. Whenever his father came home, he would bring rare flowers and hope that they would thrive in Prinda's vast ecosystem. Which usually wasn't a problem, since if they didn't have the right climate for whatever was brought home, it was easily changed. Even if the space that was changed was only a few feet.

Planting and tending to them kept him busy. After all, Syo's father wanted to keep his mind busy. He wasn't sure if it was so his father knew he wouldn't run off or for some other reason. But for Syo it was more than just what his father wanted him to do. He wanted to keep his mind off of his adventures. The more time he had by himself to think, the more he found himself being pulled back into that life he had been dragged away from. There were days that he wanted nothing more than just see the stars up and close like he used to in the observatory.

That want to leave, it would always be there. But Syo knew his father cared for him. His mother probably would have too, if she were still among the living. And Kaoru, he barely came home. He lived in his school dorms. Out of the five years that Syo had been home, he had only seen his brother a total of ten, maybe eleven, times. It was obvious that there was some resentment. But how could there not be. Kaoru was raised by their strict father after their mother's passing, while Syo got to be freer than a bird. Or so he let Kaoru believe. All the memories that happened on the ship belonged to him and Otoya. And after about three years, Syo's father stopped questioning him on what really happened.

Even though he knew that his father would be stricter than ever when he returned home, Syo was somewhat surprised how lenient he was. After all, he had been aloud to keep Otoya. But the changeling never took his more humanoid form when the tall blonde man was there. He stayed hidden and out of sight for the most part. But he was stranded on a strange planet. The only person he had was Syo. He'd rather stay a kit than be forced from his friend's, his brother's, side.

"Otoya." Syo called, looking back at the house. He knew that the white cat could hear him. "He's not coming home until tomorrow and Kaoru never comes home. You can come out."

He waited for a minute before that redhead popped into view, he couldn't see much, only the top Otoya's head by the window."Are you sure?"

"Positive." Syo scowled. He looked across his garden. He couldn't wait until the flowers bloomed. Maybe he would feel like he was anywhere but Prinda. He felt the top half of him topple back to the bronze grass. Golden bangs fell from his face with just the thought of his mind so he wouldn't have to remove his hands from the cool ground. His eyes watched as the second sun began to set.

"I really hate the fashion here." Otoya came bounding up. He tugged at the white toga. "Pants, I want pants!"

"These are easy to move in." Syo responded as if it had been drilled into his head. "Everyone wears them."

"Well I don't like them, I want pants."

Syo rolled over. "You don't even like wearing clothes."

Otoya smiled at him. "Your right, your people and your fascination for needing to cover yourselves completely blows my mind. But if I were to have to wear something I'd rather it not be a dress. I feel like we invaded Tomo's closet."

They both laughed at the joke. But after the laughing died down they were left with an awkward silence. It always happened when they talked about about Tomo or Haruka. Seeing as they didn't know what really happened they weren't sure if they should be mad or grateful. Haruka always did things her own way. But they both couldn't hep but wonder if she had really been right to leave them behind. They were family. Even Ai, much to Syo's disdain, was like a mysterious older brother to them.

Syo didn't understand, and a small part of him didn't want to. Haruka had always told him she could and would leave him behind anytime he became a hindrance to her. The small part of him that didn't want to know what happened accepted that as the reason she left them.

"Tonight looks like a great night to watch the stars." Otoya stretched. "The Iglyand sparrows are migrating right now, they should pass through here."

Syo rolled his eyes with a smile. "You've lived here for five years and you know when they migrate already?"

"Of course." Otoya struck a triumphant pose. "My goal is to catch and eat one."

"Ew." The blonde didn't do anything to hide the disgust on his face. "Please, for both my sake and yours, make a better goal than eating a bird."

"Your meat here is all artificial and gross. I want something real." The changeling tsked at him. "You Prindans are lacking in two things. Fashion and food."

"Were aren't lacking! You just don't like it."

"We're wearing dresses. And you don't have any pants in the house. I call that lacking." The redhead smirked, knowing that no matter what he would be winning this argument. He always did, because Syo wasn't really a Prindan anymore. He was a traveler.

"Ugh!" Syo let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine whatever. Let's just go inside already."

Otoya's smile widened. "Okay. Dinners done. I made some of that fake meat."

"It's not fake!"

"It's artificial."

"Exactly."

"That means it's fake."

Syo's face turned a brilliant shade of pink.

* * *

It was well passed midnight by the time Otoya dragged Syo onto the roof to look at the sky. He didn't often like to look out at the night sky. It made him want to leave. But he knew that he couldn't. He was a trapped and flightless bird. That didn't stop the wanting feeling that crushed his heart. That didn't stop the need to be among the stars. Nope, it only made it a thousand times worse.

He leaned his head back against the titled roof. He didn't need to look at Otoya to know he was doing the same. That he had the same look of hurt, of disbelief, in his red eyes.

"Do you miss it?" Syo felt himself ask. It was a stupid question that didn't need an answer. He felt like he wasn't even in control of his body when he let it slip out of his lips.

"Only when the stars shine." Otoya replied. His voice was distant.

"I want to go back."

"Me too."

They lapsed into silence again. What was there to really talk about? It wasn't like they could run off and take a ship. They had, well Syo with Otoya in kit form had, already attempted that. It hadn't worked out very well. It wasn't very smart of them to try to take a ship they didn't know how to work. But at that time they were desperate. They actually believed that they could find Haruka again and rejoin her.

It was Otoya who spoke first. "Do you think we'll ever leave this place?"

"I really don't know." Syo closed his eyes. "I hope so, but I don't know."

"I miss them." The redhead admitted. It didn't sound like he was crying, but he did have a sharp ring of sadness to his voice. "That star, is it always so bright?"

"Huh?" Syo was thrown off by the sudden change of conversation. His blue eyes opened and looked up.

"See that one." The kit pointed it out.

Sure enough he was right. There was an extraordinarily bright star. If Syo didn't know any better he would have thought it was moving.

Until it did move to the left.

"What the-"

"Syo?" Otoya interrupted him.

Nostalgia over took him as Syo stood. He remembered this. The bright light that was supposed to be a star moving forward. His blue eyes looked up at the sky widening in surprise and happiness. His lips tugged into a tight smile as he whispered. "Pirates."

Otoya jumped up, voice filled with excitement. "You're not serious."

They both watched as the light swerved hard to the left.

Then in a more deflated tone Otoya cocked an eyebrow at the blonde. "You're not serious."

"My bad." Syo scratched the back of his neck. He didn't think he knew anyone that would be a pirate and still be that bad at operating their own ship. "Either whoever that is, is very bad at their job or we're both crazy."

They both nodded in agreement. "We're crazy."

"I think we've been out here for too long." Syo dusted off his legs. "Ready for bed?"

Otoya rubbed his eyes. "I think so."

The redhead was easily lifted off his feet by Syo's mind and placed softly and the grass, before Syo made his own decent. But the moment his feet touched the ground they heard a giant crash. Otoya spun on his heels immediately to look at what happened while Syo squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that sound. But the only one who could be bad enough to crash was...

"Please don't be who I think that is."

"Syo!" Otoya shook him. The blonde could tell his friend was far to excited to even speak. "It's.. It's... It's..."

The redhead didn't need to finish. Syo already knew. After all, it wasn't to hard to figure out after hearing how excited Otoya was. "It's Ai isn't it?"

"Shorty, changeling." They heard him call to them. Syo, with a sigh, turned around and opened his eyes. He watched as AI stumbled up to them, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. Which if he didn't, he wouldn't be here.

"No way." Otoya smiled. The blonde mused. Otoya was more like a puppy than a kit right now.

"It just had to be you."

Ai frowned at Syo. "I took my time."

"Too much time." Syo pouted. "Are you here to tell us you missed us and you want us back?"

"Haha." Ai faked a laugh. "I'm here to bring you both home."

"What took so long?" Otoya's head tilted.

Ai gazed between them. "Because it took me this long to track down Haruka and Tomo."

Syo blinked. If he was remembering correctly.. "Weren't you on the ship with them?"

"I was."

"What happened?" Otoya asked. He had barely beat the blonde to asking. They both probably had the same questions.

Ai sighed. He motioned behind him to his metal monster, that was surprisingly not engulfed in flames, just slightly implanted into the ground. "Is this really the place to be asking? Can't we wait to get on the ship?"

"No!" They answered together.

"The planet we were on imploded. I thought they were dead, until I found a trail of stardust leading me to somewhere Tomo had been recently." He folded his arms. "Now that I know they're alive, I figured the family might as well reunite."

"How did you survive?" Otoya asked while Syo said. "A trail of stardust lead you to Tomochika?"

Ai shook his head and sighed again. "I only have one question."

Both the redhead and blonde gulped.

"Are you ready to go home?"

 _Part V_

 _Tracing Stardust: Epilogue_

 _End_

* * *

 ** _This story will not have any kind of sequel. All mysteries unanswered will most-likely remain that way._**

 ** _Happy Valentine's Day ^o^_**

 ** _Thank you_** ** _Crystalized Flowers for reviewing._**

 ** _Anyone who leaves a review on this chapter will be thanked via pm unless you're a guest... Then just know that you good madams or sirs are very awesome. ;D_**

 ** _Chaotic_**


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